Lost and Found
by ElizaJay
Summary: Damon has just arrived in Mystic Falls and is looking for something to do, luckily, so has Jade. An 18 year old girl who just happens to be lying around. But Jade's a girl with a twist...and Damon's about to get a whole lot more than he bargained for.
1. Just lying around

Lost and Found

Chapter 1

Jade's view

The first thing I noticed, before the grass soaked in rain, before the night sky dotted with stars, and even before the ominous trees, stripped of their leaves, that seemed to surround me…no, the first thing I noticed was the fact that I only had one arm. Now this seemed to be something that required my immediate attention. I studied my left shoulder, the place where my arm should've been, but no matter how hard I looked I just couldn't seem to find it. At last I decided to give up, if I looked around for a bit, my logic told me that it was bound to turn up somewhere.

With great difficulty I managed to roll onto my stomach, the moist ground sent a shiver through me so violent that I'd almost describe it as a spasm. Now that I was in a more advantageous position I could see that my arm was back. It had been under me the whole time, I was slightly worried about the fact that I couldn't feel or move it, but I figured I was just over-reacting. I took a moment to look at the creature just inches away from my nose; it was to my left so I had to squeeze my right eye shut to be able to fully focus on its writhing body. It was obviously quite small although up close it looked rather large. It reminded me of a strawberry lace in its broadest perspective; it wasn't as long as a strawberry lace, it was also rather fat, and the colour of pink flesh instead of bright red. Actually, there was something about the colour red, something important…

But my mind had already wandered back to the worm…worm? Oh yes! That's what it was, a worm! I smiled to myself in satisfaction, well, that was one mystery solved. As a reward I let myself lie there, feeling the beginnings of pins and needles…

Damon's view

Well, that had gone better than planned. I had finally revealed my arrival at Mystic Falls to my dear little brother, who in his delight had promptly threatened to find out what I was up to no matter what. But I knew the threat was an empty one, Stefan was weak on animal blood, and to be honest I wasn't up to much. His girlfriend on the other hand, a delicious little thing with white blonde hair and lapis lazuli eyes, had been quite a treat. The spitting image of Katherine, no wonder my brother was smitten, maybe I'd have to change that.

It was night, the best time for a vampire, unless you had a ring like me, than the day was just as convenient. The corners of my lips turned up at my little joke. A thought, that was just as constant as the throbbing of my un-dead heart, pushed itself to the front of my mind. I hadn't fed in a while, as I had been flying aimlessly as a crow for the past half-hour I decided to land on a neighbouring branch in the middle of Old Wood. Not bothering to change back I used my mind to search for food, sensing the wildlife around me. Going to the middle of the woods might not have made a whole lot of sense since it was just as easy to look in town, but a lot more people came through here as sight-seeing, and in the woods there was a lot more fun to be had.

But I soon realised that I wasn't alone, just beneath me was a girl lying on the ground. I could deduct that she was probably around eighteen, her clothes weren't in the best condition, not that I was complaining, but she appeared to be wearing blue jeans and a simple black top with no sleeves that was rather flattering. Her hair was matted with mud and rain water but I guessed shoulder length and mahogany brown with hints of red showing through, she was bare foot.

She was also a vampire…

Jade's view

I opened my eyes, which was weird because I didn't remember closing them. I gently explored the sodden grass with my previously dead arm, it was alive! I got to my feet at an impossible speed and as a result fell back into an awkward sitting position. It was at this moment that I knew someone was there, I tried to explain it to myself, it was like when you know someone's behind you, except I was certain of it, and it was more above me than behind. I looked up and sure enough, a huge bird loomed over me. Well, I guess it wasn't really looming since it was all that way up in the tree, but the sense of it was definitely there. Its plumage looked like it would be as soft as silk and it was black, but where the moonlight caught it, hidden shades of blue were revealed like secrets. The word 'crow' came into mind and I saw that its eyes were completely black, it looked all pupil, but instead of the flat expressionless black I had expected, I saw that it had an endless amount of depth to it. Something in its eyes told me that it was laughing at my predicament.

I closed my eyes and shook my head vigorously from side to side as if I had broken from a trance. Forgetting the crow for a moment I dragged my attention to the task at hand, I still hadn't managed to stand up and to stay up, and I was fast becoming saturated.

"Hello." The voice came from in front of me; it was like a warm fire being fed with logs of ice, warm and alluring but with an undertone that had me on edge. My eyes tried to follow the voice on their own but when they could go no further my head reluctantly followed through until I could see what had caused the disturbance. A man was lounging against the thick trunk of the tree where the crow had been, and when I looked up now the crow was gone, I could see this intruder quite clearly and a gut feeling told me that this wasn't right.

Even with the help of the half-moon overhead, I shouldn't have been able to see his features with such clarity; the angles to his face, the cheek bones, the fact that his skin was so beautifully pale, especially in contrast to the shock of dark hair that covered his head and penetrated his vision from time to time. His lips were the perfect shade of red…there it was again, a sort of uncomfortable feeling of…what? I wanted to say hunger but I knew that was wrong.

Some distant part of my mind reminded me that I was staring but I didn't really care, if I wanted to look then I would look. I also noticed that he was wearing all black; boots, jeans, leather jacket, the lot. _A rather dark character for the story of my life _I thought to myself. I had the feeling I'd be swooning at his feet had I been standing in the first place.

I leaned back on my hands and squinted at him, rolling my head so that it was resting on my right shoulder, "may I ask what the time is?" I felt quite drunk, yet I couldn't remember drinking anything recently.

The intruder smirked, "you could ask but you won't get an answer."

Frowning, I replied with, "oh, well I won't bother asking then."

For some reason this strange man found my rather reasonable reply somewhat amusing. I ignored him and decided to have another go at finding my feet, this time at a slower pace. I pulled my knees up to my chin, took a moment to brace myself, and then pushed up. There was a second when I thought to myself _hey, I've done it! _When all of a sudden I started to lose my balance and I grabbed the first thing that came to hand, a well-defined shoulder. I looked questioningly at the stranger's arm and then his face.

"Honestly, it's worse than watching Bambi learn how to walk, and the movie itself was bad enough. The only part I mildly enjoyed was when his mother died." He seemed to be serious and yet I couldn't understand why he was talking about Bambi. I tried to think but that made my head hurt so I stopped trying and just waited for an explanation. Instead he took my hand and very gently kissed it in the way of a gentleman; he raised his head to look me in the eyes, "Damon Salvatore." I inwardly gasped at the eyes that were so familiar, eyes that moments before had been in the head of a crow, there was no mistaking it, this man and that crow were inevitably the same person. As this ran through my head my face betrayed nothing, I was an excellent liar after all.

"Jade Onyx." I gave him my best smile; he was the only help I had.

"Jade Onyx?" Damon rolled the unfamiliar pairing of words around his tongue. "Unusual name," he accused, peering at me. I shrugged,

"Unusual parents I guess." The look on his face said that he didn't buy it, but I wasn't lying. Well, it was his problem, not mine. I started through the forest on silent feet, Damon didn't follow, which I half expected. But then I had the shock of my life when I turned at the sound of an owl to see him, the two of us barely an inch apart. The instinct to take flight was too strong and I really don't know how far I would have got if Damon hadn't have caught my wrists with his surprisingly strong hands.

"Don't ever try that again," he said in the way you would talk to a young and rebellious child. My expression must have told him that I hadn't a clue as to what I'd done wrong because he looked down and when I did the same I saw that my normally short nails had turned into terrifyingly impressive claws. Still restrained by Damon I brought the nails up to my face, and on closer inspection, found them to be as sharp as tiny individual knives. I looked on in awe as they retracted into the short, stubby nails I was used to. When I looked back to Damon he was studying my expression closely.

"How'd I do that?" He was still holding my wrists and had started to rub the palms of my hands with his thumbs in therapeutic circles. I gently pulled my hands out of his and put them behind my back, still waiting for an answer.

Damon smirked at my reaction; I was beginning to think that was all he could do. "It happens when you're caught by surprise or…," he smiled in satisfaction, "feeling threatened." I was about to reply when I smelt something on the air, we were getting near to the end of our little tree sanctuary because I could smell pollution, and food, and…blood. I felt two small daggers indent themselves on my bottom lip and when I touched them they felt very sensitive. Damon came up behind me again but my senses were so renewed that I wasn't surprised by him this time as he put his face next to mine and whispered in my ear, "thirsty?"


	2. Without bood there is no life

Chapter 2

Damon's view

I heard her gulp and laughed inaudibly, letting my breath caress her face all on its own. When I felt her shiver I mentally congratulated myself and made sure that no part of my body was making contact with hers. The fact that I was already so close would be enough. "Pinpoint the location," my cheek was almost brushing hers, "but don't just use smell, use your ears as well, use your mind." When I moved in and let my hands rest on her upper arms she stiffened, but I carried on regardless, "close your eyes," I instructed and she did. "Use what you have and imagine your target, then use that image to find them, like a satnav." I could feel the concentration ebbing off of her in waves, and then she had ripped herself out of my grasp as she ran for the life source at supernatural speed. I smiled as I thought to myself _looks like Jade's going to be fun._

Jade's view

I didn't really know how, but I did know exactly where I was going and that's all that mattered. I needed blood, my canines ached at the thought and that made me think of the blood that I needed which made my teeth ache all the more, and so it went on in a vicious cycle. As I ran I navigated my way through the trees at an impossible rate, the wind whipped my hair behind me and out of the way and my feet were hardly touching the ground. I was running on air. A few seconds and I could see the roof tops, the houses, the roads, and then something slammed into my side, hard. I reared off course and ended up on the unforgiving ground, on my back, again. But this time Damon was on top of me, pinning me down with a wild look in his eye, as if he had never run so hard in his life.

"Hey-!" His hand slammed down onto my mouth keeping me quiet.

"From now on you'll do as I say or your stay here will not be a pleasant one got it?"

I blinked my understanding, but unfortunately I couldn't leave it at that. When he removed his hand I grabbed his biceps and threw all my weight into tackling him. The next thing I knew I had him pinned to the ground, my fangs extended as a hiss escaped my throat and I took satisfaction in the look of surprise that crossed Damon's face. But I was up and out of reach before he could do anything about it, looking down at him as innocently as was possible under the circumstances. In the time it took to blink, Damon towered over me, the look he gave me was one that could kill and I couldn't help but take a step back. As soon as I did, I mentally kicked myself for backing down. It was obviously the right thing to do though, because after looking me up and down curiously he said, "If you want to survive, surprise is probably your best option." Then he swiftly turned on his heel and headed towards society, I was right behind him.

We turned into an old parking lot of what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. I instinctively sniffed, checking out the place, and sure enough at the far end was a lone car. I didn't know what type, it didn't really matter to me, but I could make out that it was a very small, metallic blue car with only one person inside. He was male, around his early thirties and homeless.

"Perfect," I heard Damon almost purr. I looked to him, waiting to know what we were up to. He looked down at me and inclined his head toward the sleeping vagrant as if I should know what to do. "Go on, you won't get much better than this." I glanced at the car and then back at Damon and started to shake my head. Damon frowned, "what's the matter, cold feet?" I had blanched, I didn't know what to do, and now that we were actually here looking at this man who had no idea what was coming, I just couldn't do it.

I smiled humourlessly, "something like that."

Damon looked up to the sky in frustration, "oh for-!" Then he had gone and come back holding the man by the scruff of his old, stained shirt, he was a sorry sight and still half asleep. Damon set him down and looked into his half-closed eyes, whispering, "You are not afraid and you will do as I say." Then he turned the man toward me. I stood my ground but words wouldn't come, my mouth open in shock. My canines lengthened into fangs, still hoping to get a taste, and I covered them with my hand. But Damon seemed to be confident that I would give in one way or another. He bent over the man's neck and I saw pain cross his stubbled face. When Damon lifted his head I saw two neat puncture marks. They were small, but a considerable amount of blood was dribbling down his shirt-front. 'Liquid Gold' I thought as I found myself mesmerised. Only a second passed before I pounced.

I didn't realize how dry and cracked my veins really were until my mouth was on his neck and hot blood was pouring down my throat. It was the single most sensational experience I'd ever had. My body seemed to come to life; there was a heat that started at my toes, moving up to the tips of my fingers and through to the crown of my head. I could feel each precious drop of this man's blood become mine and I just wanted more. I drained him dry until there was nothing left, and then I found myself crouched over his lifeless form. My mouth was covered with blood and my fangs had retracted, satisfied. I stayed in the same position, looking at him in confusion, as common sense slowly returned. I couldn't piece together what had just happened, why was he dead?

I felt myself being slowly pulled off of the corpse until I was standing. I saw Damon carry the man in a fireman's lift back to the car where he threw him down on the back seat. I tried to wipe away the blood but I just ended up staining my hands as well. When Damon came back I was shaking. "What's wrong?"

I wasn't sure I could bring myself to say it, but I had to. "I-I…I killed him."

Damon burst out into laughter and I knew that if I stayed then I might just kill him too. Still shaking, but with anger now, I tried to race past him into the warehouse and got as far as the locked door, which I did manage to break down, but those extra few seconds cost me, and now Damon had caught my wrists and flipped me around to face him. I heard low soothing sounds coming from him, like he had just caught a startled rabbit instead of a blood thirsty monster. "Damon I killed him! Don't you understand that?" The soothing sounds stopped.

"So what? Believe me; you'll kill so many that soon you won't even care." I struggled but he was stronger and refused to let go. When I just tried harder his face went serious and I stopped.

"Damon, what am I?" A lazy grin spread across his face as he replied,

"Vampire."

My eyes widened and for a second his grip relaxed a fraction. Luckily, with my new strength, it was just enough for me to pull away from him, and then for added measure I front kicked him into the wall at the other end of the parking lot. I didn't wait to see if he would get up or not because if he caught me again I was going to be in deep trouble. And I wasn't sure what a man who could pass off murder so easily would be capable of; but I wasn't going to stand around and find out.

In the warehouse I found stairs leading up to an open ledge way next to a window, I looked around but apart from more stairs going down to a basement, there was nothing else. Looked like the window was my best shot. I tore up the stairs, sat on the edge and waited. If he did come in, which I was pretty certain of, than no matter where I was he would see me, so I might as well look confident even if I wasn't feeling it. Time to put my lying skills to the test…

Damon's View

"Arghh…" I pushed up onto my elbows and felt the back of my head. When I pulled my hand away it was stained red. I was already healing, one of our many great advantages, but part of me still wanted to rip Jade's throat out while another part of me decided that Jade was going to be a lot more fun than I had first anticipated.

Once I was on my feet I could smell Jade's scent coming from the old warehouse. I ran in after her to a set of stairs; I looked up to see Jade sitting on an open ledge, her feet dangling happily over the side. She looked as cool as a cucumber, and I wondered how much of this was an act. She looked intent on escaping, but she was my toy, and I was taking her with me, one way or another.


	3. Confusion

Chapter 3

Jade's view

I forced myself to make eye contact with my pursuer and immediately wished I hadn't. There was a glint of something cold and hard in the darkness, something that had me inwardly shudder. All the while Damon was tensed, like a panther, watching his prey, which made me all the more nervous and ready to run. His gaze ran over me, calculating my every move, and then his attention returned to my face. He cocked his head slightly to the right and the corners of his lips turned up in a cruel smile; it was an unsettling look that made me want to fidget, but I resisted.

Suddenly, a wave of heady dizziness had me clutching at the window frame. Chunks of splinters came out in my right hand and when I looked back a mottled gap, the size of my fist, stared at me like a toothless grin. I looked from the smiling sideboard to Damon whose head was still cocked in that uncomfortable way that made me want to scream.

He righted his head with a satisfied smirk before explaining, "You're going through the change," a wide grin spread across his face, "which means you need to sleep to complete it."

I panicked.

Sleep meant helplessness, and I couldn't be helpless with Damon around. If he wasn't bluffing, and the look he gave me was a victorious one so I guessed that he wasn't, then I needed to get somewhere safe, and fast.

"Not if I can help it," I muttered under my breath.

Damon snorted. "I don't think you can."

I wanted to hand him a witty reply but my head was already filling up with a thick and steady fog. So instead I tried to use what I had to my advantage, I held my hand out, slowly and deliberately, in front of me and let the splinters fall through the empty air, to a point where they were almost floating.

I knew that Damon was distracted by this seemingly random action, which was my intention, so I took the opportunity to get to my feet at an unnatural speed. Damon was crouched over the top of the small stair-well though I didn't remember seeing him move at all.

Everything was going too fast, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to string together any two coherent thoughts. For a few scary seconds I stood, swaying slightly from left to right. I was supposed to do something next but I had forgotten where I was, let alone the next step to my great escape.

My eyelids felt as though lead weights had been attached to them and they started to flutter, fighting against the lethargic feeling that was spreading through my sagging body.

"Jade?"

The sound of his voice, however soft it may be, made me jump which woke me up briefly. My eyes opened and I turned, but in doing so, it made the whole world spin.

Then I can only guess that I somehow lost my balance because after that it was just a blur of colours and the feeling of the ground being pulled out from under me.

Damon's view

Standing at the edge, what did I expect her to do, use her head and take a step back? She had just taken the final step to becoming a vampire, and with everything being so new to her renewed senses, she was bound to go a little light headed. I just didn't expect her to go over the edge.

As soon as her useless form tripped forward time slowed and I raced down to catch her. I had a few seconds to position myself, and then I had an exhausted eighteen year old girl in my arms.

The mud had dried and knotted her hair and her torn clothes were dripping cold water onto me, ruining my leather jacket. Her eyes opened a crack and I saw a look that said _Oh crap!_ Before she drifted back towards unconsciousness.

I stood for a moment, gathering my thoughts. Then I smiled down at her now innocent expression.

"Alright Jade, you know what they say." I brought my face down to her ear hoping that she could still hear me. "Rest now, Play later."

Jade's view

_Click, Click, Crack!_

Fingers, Toes, Back. This is what I woke up to, a symphony of aching bones and joints.

I was lying on a thin blanket covering a hard wood floor and I had no idea how long I had been out cold. Vaguely, I could remember the night before, or was it longer? Yes, I remembered being out in the night with a guy. A man, Daniel? Damien? No, that wasn't it, but I had been out none the less. And there had been a car, a blue car. It was important but I couldn't remember much else, and it hurt to think.

I rubbed my forehead in frustration and groaned. Then I heard voices coming from below and stiffened as I realised that I was in a completely alien environment. I was in a small, wooden room with a low, slanting roof. A dust mote caught in my throat and I ended up violently choking. When I could breathe again I clapped a hand over my mouth and got a strong sense of de ja vu while I listened out.

There was a long moment of sickening silence, but then the talking started up again, and I let out a small sigh of relief.

I decided that since the voices were underneath me, then I must be in some sort of attic. And sure enough, not too far away, there was a door with a ladder attached just waiting to be opened. My heart started to beat double-time as I slowly un-hatched the ladder and let it down. I stopped for a moment as the first rung hit more wood at the bottom. But when nothing happened, I let out a breath that I wasn't aware of holding, and crept down until I had both feet planted firmly on the ground.

Once the attic door was closed and packed safely out of the way, I took a moment to look around. I was in a corridor that led to a room one way and a stair-case the other. I looked over the banister to see a very long set of stairs that ended with two figures talking to each other, and was surprised to hear a few snippets of the conversation.

"Would you just leave it?"

"It's not a coincidence, you leaving off like that and then a few hours later Elena has a dream about YOU!"

"Can I help it if I happen to be the more attractive one brother?"

"If you don't leave her alone I'll-,"

"You'll what?"

"I'll kill you. And this time I'll make sure of it."

I pulled back and stood against the wall for a moment trying to comprehend the situation. I was stuck in an unknown house with rivalling brothers, it did not look good. The stairs were definitely out. Tip toeing to the right I ended up in, what I assumed, was a bedroom.

It was a huge room with an old double bed in the centre of the far wall and a balcony on the left. The rest of the space was crammed with old trunks, draws and cupboards that were bigger than me. When I looked inside, the shelves were filled with hundreds of leather bound books. I picked one up and found the cover to be quite plain but the book itself was filled with dates. I quickly realized that these were diaries so I shut the book and carefully placed it back on the shelf. But not before I noticed that these diaries, or at the very least that one, came from the time of the renaissance.

A word from the night before filled my mind, It travelled sluggishly down, filling my nostrils and mouth like fatal poison, "Vampire."

I remembered everything in a flash; waking up in the forest, a stranger, the blue car, nails, blood! And the warehouse, falling. I slammed the cupboard doors shut, forgetting that I was supposed to be sneaking around, and whipped around to see a beautiful man with blazing green eyes standing rigid in the door way. All I could think was that he looked similar to someone I knew before I found myself in a death-grip.

His fingers locked themselves around my neck in a vice-like fashion, cutting off my air supply. I'd like to say that all I saw was pure, black hatred. Then I wouldn't feel so bad about my next move. But truth be known, he was just really angry to find a strange girl, such as myself, rifling through his personal belongings. Unfortunately I wasn't in my right state of mind either and so without thinking I pulled my knee sharply up, hard.

His hands released me and I could breathe again. I took in several large gulps of wonderful oxygen while my attacker crumpled to the floor in angry pain. My hands came up to cover my mouth in shock. I mumbled a quick apology and practically flew across the landing and down the flight of stairs.

When I got to the bottom I stopped to breathe and think. I looked up the way I had come but no-one was following. When I turned back to see Damon, the name popped up in my head, standing not a hairs-breadth away, head slightly tilted to the right, his relentless black eyes boring into mine, and the corners of his perfect lips pulled up in an amused smile.

My heart simply stopped.


	4. Completely unblemished

Here's the next chapter, sorry the last one was a bit confusing but hopefully this one will make a bit more sense. Thanks again to nikiROx, my first ever review! You put a smile on my face!

Chapter 4

Jade's view

"Not you again," the words were tumbling out of my mouth before I had a chance to think. That's usually what happens when I get scared, I go on autopilot. Sometimes I resort to violence, which I had been doing a lot lately, but more often than not I came out with some snarky comment.

Damon smiled sarcastically, "Funny."

He grabbed my arm and I pulled it back. I was getting just a tad annoyed and fed up of taking his crap.

"Do you ever notice how when a girl doesn't want you around they usually let you know?" I saw the corners of his lips turn up and a mischievous glint in his eye,

"Not until now." He took a step closer, the top of my head just measured up with his nose, and we were already too close, our bodies almost touching. Alarm bells started ringing in my head telling me that I was slowly but surely shifting into a dangerous situation.

Then I heard movement upstairs and remembered that I was already in one.

"Gotta go!" I said coyly before speeding past him to the front door. But unfortunately for me, Damon got there first and all but threw me onto a faded rose couch.

The pillows seemed to swallow me whole. I crossed my legs to get comfortable, feeling like a kid waiting for a punishment that was bound to come.

"You just sit tight la mia pietra preziosa." I looked at him quizzically.

"What are you on about?" Then I turned, sensing him more than anything else.

"My precious stone," The one with the green eyes answered for him. He walked in, tall and graceful, putting his anger on hold, "It's Italian." His gaze locked with mine for no more than a second, and then I looked away in guilt.

"So, the saint has stepped down from his pedestal to fight with the commoners!" Damon circled him in the style of a shark. Green-eyes looked straight ahead in a frustrated manner,

"Damon, please don't."

"Don't what hm?" Damon stood so that he was directly in Green-eyes' line of vision. They stood like that for a while, challenging each other, daring the other one to back down.

Finally, Green-eyes averted his gaze to me. I wanted to shrink back and simply disappear, but I couldn't do that, so I met his look with one of my own. One that said '_sorry'_. He looked at his brother.

"I don't know what game you're playing Damon, but it has to stop, now!"

"OH MY GOD!"

We all turned; there in the archway was a girl with white blonde hair and blue gold eyes. We froze, not knowing the exact problem, while this beautiful stranger sauntered up to me in her skinny jeans, ripped white top(which I couldn't help noticing was very suggestive) and strappy high heels.

"What happened! What is all this!"

She tugged gently at my hair to reveal clumps of hard mud coming away under her perfectly manicured fingernails. I honestly wanted to burst out laughing right there and then, but I controlled myself. Instead I smiled and introduced myself,

"Hi, I don't believe we've met, I'm Jade. Onyx." I held my hand out to her and was surprised when she actually took it.

"Elena Gilbert," I wondered if this was the infamous Elena I had heard them fighting over earlier. Green-eyes looked horrified, as if having this girl here was the last thing he needed, but Damon was barely containing a smile. Elena ignored them,

"Listen Jade, it's great to meet you and all but I just can't stand around while you're looking like, well, let's be honest, a drowned rat!" I did laugh then, I couldn't help myself,

"Well, we might as well be honest with each other!"

"Exactly! Come on then." She took my hand and I let her lead me away, intrigued as to what this 'Elena' had to offer.

"Uh…I'm not sure that's such a good idea Elena!" Green-eyes called after us, but it was a half-hearted attempt, and we just carried on regardless. Next stop, the shower!

Damon's view

"If you're lucky, maybe I'll let you play with her too. But no more fighting," I wagged my index finger in front of Stefan's face as if he were a naughty child.

"What do you possibly hope to gain by all this?"

"What I hope to gain, my dear brother, is a little bit of fun," I placed my hands on his shoulders, "something I couldn't 'possibly hope' for you to understand." He shoved me roughly away and turned to go but I dragged him back, "So…? What do you think?"

He slowly twisted to look at me, "Think about what?"

I lounged back on the arm of the couch, "I admit she's not much of a looker but she's got spunk, you of all people can't deny that." I saw a spark fly behind those oh-so innocent eyes of his and I grinned.

"Leave her alone. Take her back where you found her and leave her alone," he almost growled. I put my hands behind my head,

"I can't believe that a saint like you would cast out an innocent girl like that!" I accused jokingly and inclined my head in the direction that the girls had taken. Stefan looked directly at me and said each word slowly and carefully,

"Just keep her away from Elena." I sat up,

"And how exactly do you expect me to do that? They've only just met and Elena's already giving her a make-over."

The door to the bathroom opened and we both turned to see a very unexpected sight. Elena strode out in a way that said she was proud of her handy-work. And so she should be. What she presented to us had in no way any resemblance to the Jade we had seen cowering in the couch cushions earlier.

Her skin had turned from a muddy brown to mother-of-pearl white. She wore faded grey jeans that were skinny but not too skinny, and a spaghetti-strap cami top, the colour was a slightly darker shade of blue, like Rhinestone.

"_How ironic"_ I thought to myself, what was with this girl and stones?

I also noticed that she was still bare-foot, but what really caught my attention were the tiny little details about her face that I hadn't noticed earlier;

Her complexion was completely unblemished apart from a single prominent freckle at the corner of her left eye which I could see now were grey to the point where they were almost silver in the light.

But her hair was what struck me most! When I had first met Jade I had described her hair as mahogany with a hint of red showing through. Now I realize that that was all mud because her hair wasn't even brown.

It was completely red, nothing like ginger but not dyed red either. It was the perfect mix of both, and it was natural. Like fire. Earlier I had also said that she wasn't much of a looker, but when I looked at her now I knew that I had been wrong about that too.

Sorry that it was a bit short but it seemed a pretty good place to stop. If anyone else is reading this I'd really appreciate your reviews, especially if you have any ideas for the plot. Thanks again!


	5. Lapis Lazulis and Blood Red Rubies

Sorry about the wait, since the last chapter was rather short I took a little longer with this one. Thanks again to nickiROx for the reviews!

Chapter 5

Jade's view

When we came out of the bathroom the two boys just stared…at me.

Giving myself over to Elena's more than capable hands had been a huge relief. I never had been one of those girls who could spend hours on their appearance so it was nice to know that, for now, that small department of my life was being taken care of. The two of them expressed looks of utter shock and bewilderment, as if they had never expected such a swan to have emerged from this ugly duckling. I smiled at them.

Elena glanced at her watch, "Damn! We're late for school and that essay's due in first lesson! Stefan!" Stefan broke out of his trance and started for the front door. Elena hitched her bag over her shoulder and gave me a short but sweet hug which I hesitantly returned, "I'll see you after school." Then they were gone, leaving me here, alone, with Damon.

He had composed himself now, thank God, but was still staring, making me uncomfortable. It was either one of two things; he was doing it on purpose, or he just did not have a clue. I had a feeling that it was probably a bit of both.

I had never met anyone quite like Damon so I didn't really know how to deal with his strange behaviour, but for now I figured ignorance was the way to go, and crossed over to the book case. Funnily enough, one of the books had caught my eye. It was called, "Child Possessed," by David St. Clair.

I turned the familiar cover in my hands, a girl with dark hair, wearing a long white dress and holding a blood-stained knife, stared back at me with her unseeing eyes. It was a paper back and looked brand new.

"Good book?" I knew he was behind me, could feel his presence and answered, keeping my eyes glued to the crimson title,

"Don't know, I never got round to reading it. My mum told me that it was true and very disturbing, so I was interested." I felt him lean in seductively,

"Interested is the right word," still grasping the book tightly I whirled on him and had the satisfaction of seeing him take a step back, he was backing down, and I liked it.

"Damon, let's get something straight here; I don't know you, therefore, I don't want to play with you. Do you see where I'm going with this?" I liked that he hadn't expected my reaction; I was knocking his ego down a peg, something that should have been done a long time ago.

"Playing what exactly?" His tone was sweet and oblivious, a little too sweet and way too oblivious.

I placed the book on his chest and he took it, "This game where you completely wind me up just to see if at the end of the day you can still seduce me," I pushed him gently but firmly to the side and made straight for the window to see what I could see. I waited for him to follow or to reply but he didn't so I concentrated on the scene before me:

The sun, such a big thing burning so far away, was high in the sky. But it was still morning, the front garden was pristinely trimmed and weeded and the road, just a few meters away, was deserted. A single maple tree stood morosely to the left of the paved pathway that cut through the middle leading to the front door-"Hey!"

Damon was holding my hand up to the light turning it this way and that. I tried to pull away; when that didn't work, big surprise there, I grabbed hold of his wrist with my other hand, ready to wrench myself free,

"Where did you get this?" He was looking at my ring,

"What's the matter, jealous?" In response he brought his hand up to mine, we were wearing the same ring. I studied it with child-like curiosity, noting that the rings were almost identical with one exceptional difference; his ring seemed to have a precious blue stone that I recalled from somewhere as "Lapis Lazuli" whereas my ring had always had a blood red ruby.

"Who gave you this?" His grip tightened as I continued to study my own jewel, dredging up the memories,

"My Dad gave it to me when I was five, that's when he had to leave; he said that I might need it. When I asked my Mum about it she told me that he'd had it made as soon as I was born, but she never knew why. Anytime she asked he just refused to explain and that was that. When he gave it to me he told me never to take it off and made me promise before sending me off to bed. The next morning he was gone and I haven't seen him since."

Telling this story should have made me cry or at the very least emotional, but I'd repeated it so often in my own head that the tears just wouldn't come any more.

"Where'd yours come from?" I inclined my head towards his ring. A smile played across his face but it didn't reach his eyes as he stared off into the distance,

"An old girlfriend," Then he seemed to wake up as he re-assembled his act, "The rings protect vampires from the sunlight, that's why I was surprised when you made it to the window without it burning you."

I looked down at mine again and the red jewel winked at me as it caught the light in its silver frame.

"Why are they different I wonder?" I was mumbling to myself, a small habit of mine, but Damon answered anyway,

"That's what I'd like to know. Who was your Father?" I looked him in the eye as the snarky sarcasm returned to my tone,

"He left when I was _five; _to me he was just Dad."

"Of course he was." I placed my free hand on my hip,

"I'm sorry, I must have momentarily forgotten how completely arrogant you are! Would you like me to rephrase that for you?"

"No thank-you," he replied through gritted teeth. I snatched my hand out of his,

"Good, because I wouldn't do that for you if your life depended on it!"

"It's a good thing I'm already dead then isn't it?" I looked at him for a moment before picking up the book that Damon had tossed behind him earlier and headed for the first bedroom I came across.

Lying on the four-poster bed I did try to read, at first, but I had attempted to read the first page three times now and the words just kept going through one ear and out the other. In my frustration I threw the book at the door and buried my head in the fluffy, cream covers. Before I knew it I was thinking about the rings.

_Why did Damon have my ring?_ No…wait. He'd already answered that. _Alright then, what was _I_ doing with _his_ ring? _A very good question. _Why would my Dad feel the need to give me a ring that protected vampires from the sun? Did Dad even know about vampires? _Don't be stupid! Of course he didn't know about vampires! _Or did he? _

"Shut up!" I groaned into the thick sheet.

"How's the book coming along?" _Damon_ I thought with a small sense of dread,

"Gerrufdabeh," I said but the covers muffled my voice.

"Excuse me?" I lifted my head enough to look at him,

"Get off the bed." He laughed, a short burst of noise, but he did not move. I pursed my lips and got to my knees so that I could snatch the book away from him that he just happened to have picked up. But he was too fast and pulled it up and out of reach, dangling it over my head, taunting me.

"Ah, ah, ah! If you want it you'll have to work for it," he smiled wickedly showing off a perfect set of dazzling white teeth. Damon was attractive, you'd have to be blind as well as stupid to deny that, but he was like a kid wearing shoes that were just too big but determined to wear them anyway. I would not play his game…at least not to his rules.

I crossed my arms over my chest, "No Damon."

"Awww, come on! You're not even going to try?" I shook my head in stubborn silence and watched as he brought the book down by degrees, "You're no fun you know that?" BAM! I had it!

Grabbing the book by its spine I tackled him, forcing him down on his back, and shot him a wicked grin of my own before wrenching the book out of his grasp and standing before him. "You're right, no fun at all." He righted himself into a sitting position,

"That was uncalled for."

"On the contrary, it was no less then you deserve." I flipped the book into the air and reacted as Damon made a blind go for it, I punched him square in the chest, not hard, just enough so that it stopped him mid-stretch, and deftly caught the book in my right hand.

"Ah, Ah, Ah! If you want it you'll have to work for it!" Mocking him with his own words. Instead of anger though, I saw a man who had finally found someone worthy of his taunting at long last. After years of easy pickings, he had met a challenging opponent.

I heard the door slam shut and turned to see that Damon had moved once again without my seeing, looks like he was just as fast as he was strong. But I was just as smart. He charged at me, which was not unexpected, but as he did so I grabbed him by his shirt front (A simple black shirt with short sleeves) and pulled him round in a 360 degree circle before letting him fly into the opposite wall. (In doing so I dropped the book out of hand and mind.)

Not a second later he had grabbed _me _by _my_ shirt front and propelled me into the same wall. I sat on the floor for a moment, gathering my thoughts and looking up at his smug grin. A human sized dent was starting to form in the plaster.

My gaze switched from him to the empty space behind him, "Oh, hi Elena." Just as I had hoped, Damon took the bait and looked away from me. When he turned back, realizing that my exclamation had been false, he met a dent in the wall and nothing more. I was already behind him.

"Ha! Oldest trick in the book," he span round at the sound of my voice, but I span faster and kept out of sight, "And you fell for it!"

"I thought," he twisted, catching me off guard, and slammed me back into the wall, his hand going to my throat, "That you didn't want to play." His voice was soft and playful.

I relaxed under his grip, "What are you talking about? I love to play!" Then I shot him a sly smile, "But only by my rules."

BANG!

Before I put up the next chapter I'm going to need a total of **three **reviews from **three** different people because only one person is reviewing and I know there are more of you reading. So, if you want to know what happens next then please just tell me what you think! xx


	6. A Crazy, Dangerous Cagna

Wow! You guys are _fast_ when you want to know what happens! Well, without further ado, here is the next chapter!

Chapter 6

Jade's view

BANG!

Damon's body convulsed violently and a look of barely supressed shock crossed his face and was quickly replaced by a grimace of pain. All I could see was Damon so I had no idea what was going on.

"Run," it was hardly a whisper but I heard it and scarpered, but I didn't get quite as far as he probably would've hoped. Running at full speed I was able to nip upstairs and lean over the banister without being seen. What I saw was a blonde haired girl facing the bedroom door which stood ajar, holding a small but lethal pistol who's silver paint glistened dangerously. And when she spoke, one name came to mind, Elena.

"Hello Damon, long time no see," from my position I could just about see inside the bedroom,

"Aghh…" Damon was stretching as if he had an itch on his back that he couldn't reach, Elena shot and I flinched away from the side. When I looked back I realised that the first bang had been from the gun also, for a moment I saw two gunshot wounds in the middle of his back. _Good shot._

Damon twisted so that he was facing his attacker, gaining support from the bed post.

"Katherine," he snarled. Katherine? _Why is he calling her that? _Then I sniffed and realised that whoever this "Elena look-alike" was, was not human, she was a vampire! Which explained why she was holding a gun, when I pictured Elena, the worst thing I could see her brandishing was a hair straightener.

"Care to take a walk with me? We've got a lot of catching up to do," her tone was light-hearted and care-free, which made her seem all the more dangerous.

"How about you hand me the gun and I fill that wise-cracking mouth of yours full of bullets instead?" His smile was of a cruel humour that made me shudder.

"Look Damon, I'm not doing this for myself."

"Oh right, I forgot what a martyr you are."

"It's true!" She let the gun point to the ground, her patience was wearing thin.

"Then who _are _you doing this for?" Damon looked as if he didn't, and wouldn't, believe a single word that came out of her mouth.

"Alyson," And she acted as if the name alone had enough power to reduce whole towns in to sheer panic. I had the feeling that Damon would have given Katherine a look that said he was not impressed, that is, if he hadn't of had two bullets sticking into his back.

She pulled the gun up so that it was concentrated just below his heart,

"Now, you can either make this easy or hard on yourself. Either way, you're coming with me." Damon smiled bitterly,

"Go to hell cagna."

This was when I decided to intervene. Sure she was a crazy, dangerous "cagna" (Whatever that was), but enough was enough!

I ran to Stefan/Green-eyes' room and picked up the first weapon I could find, a blunt pencil, then I raced down the stairs and before she could even think of pulling that trigger, she had a pencil stabbed deep into her back.

Katherine shrieked in pain, much like that of a cat, and dropped the gun. I kicked it away, pulled the pencil out and plunged it into her side, just below her ribcage. She screamed in a mixture of anger and agony. My mind took in my horrendous actions with a kind of calm serenity that scared me, but I couldn't afford to think of that now.

"What do you think you're doing Katherine?" Using her name would give me an edge, "You're making enemies that you really don't want to make," I pulled the pencil out by an inch.

"Ahhh!" Damon stood dumb founded but I couldn't think about that either so I asked some questions instead.

"So, who's this Alyson?" She tried to elbow me in the stomach but I caught it and forced the pencil back into her side another two inches which made her scream again, "Answer the question and you won't get hurt, it's as simple as." She took a moment to decide that her silence was not worth the pain.

"She's a contact of mine; we perform small favours for each other."

"I'm afraid we're going to need a better answer than that," Damon was still hunched over the bed post but starting to join in with the questioning. Katherine glared at him murderously,

"Alyson is the first vampire."

"You mean one of the Originals," Damon corrected her. Katherine hissed like a feline who'd had her tail trodden on.

"No! Alyson was before the Originals!" I didn't want Katherine to know that I wasn't following this conversation, so I kept my mouth shut and let Damon do the talking.

"Before? There was no before," Katherine snorted.

"That's just like you Damon, think you know everything, and anything that you don't know must be wrong. You haven't changed a bit!" Katherine was starting to get on my nerves, and later I would reason with myself that this was a dog eat dog world, as an excuse for my using the pencil to stab her other side. Her response was to clutch at her now open wound.

"Just answer the damn question!" Her breathing was coming in ragged gasps now and I felt no mercy for her.

"Alright! Alyson and the Originals are in no way related. She lived in a completely different time period to them."

"Which one?" I asked, curious.

"I don't know!" She took in a gargling breath before continuing, "I don't know how exactly but _she_ figured out that human blood was the key to immortality." Damon was studying Katherine's face.

"And how do I fit into all of this?" Her mouth twisted into an ugly smile.

"What makes you think you're so special? Alyson said that she needs a strong vampire, she never specifically asked for _you. _I just happened to be in the neighbourhood." She twisted her head to look at me and it suddenly clicked into place. She needed a _strong_ vampire, and who was the one impaling her with a pencil right now? _Me of course! _

Katherine pulled my improvised stake out of her bleeding flesh and in a blur of motion had me flying through the air and landing on an already crippled Damon. When I looked up Katherine was gone. She must have realised that in her current state she was no match for a healthy, un-injured vampire such as myself.

I crawled off of Damon and helped him to his feet while he groaned with the effort.

"Now, could you be a doll and pull these bullets out?" His smile was painful but sarcastic and I complied with his wishes.

I pulled off his shirt which, I could sense, was about to send him off on a path of smutty jokes and so quickly proceeded with the task at hand. "Ow! Thank you," I handed him the two bits of wood that, not a moment ago, had been buried in his back muscle. I answered with just three words,

"You owe me."

Thanks again and please keep reviewing!


	7. Too much temptation

Thanks to those of you who reviewed! So the last chapter was pretty action-packed, which is why this one is full on romance! Enjoy…

Chapter 7

Damon's view

I sent Jade down to the stash in search of a couple of blood bags, the girl continued to amaze me. If hurtling _me_, _Damon Salvatore, _into a wall wasn't surprising enough, she then goes and runs Katherine out of the house! With a pencil no less.

Leaving the blood stained shirt on the floor, I moved to the couch and waited for Jade's return. Sure enough, in a matter of seconds, she was back with three blood bags and two glasses. I noted how quickly she was able to adapt to her situation and had to remind myself that she was newly changed.

She placed two of the bags and a glass on a coffee table that she must have pulled out from somewhere, although right now I couldn't care less. I grabbed the first bag that came to hand, ripping it with my teeth like an animal and forgetting the glass, I downed its warm red contents in a heartbeat. Jade had emptied her bag into her own glass and now sipped at the crimson liquid, watching me as I threw away the plastic and grabbed my second bag.

When I was done I threw the packaging over my head, not caring where it landed, and lounged back into the plush cushions. I could feel that my wounds were healing fast. I closed my eyes briefly, but I could still feel her staring at me, so with a sigh I met her gaze, and waited.

"Who's Katherine?" She took another sip and I couldn't see any reason not to tell her, it was just a bit too complicated to explain all in one go,

"Just an old girlfriend, nothing you need to worry about," I shrugged nonchalantly and winced when the motion rubbed raw wound against fabric.

"The same one who gave you that ring?" She replied quickly. I blinked, I knew that I could easily lie, that it was just an educated guess on her part, but I felt as if she would find a way to see through it anyway. Through me.

"Yes," I answered just as fast. She nodded and absently tapped her finger nails against the crystalline glass, deep in thought. "She's not important, barely worth thinking about."

"Ha!" The sound was so sudden that I inwardly jumped out of my skin, "The woman came in aiming a pistol at your chest! If that's not important then I don't know what is," She drained the rest of her drink and set it down on the coffee table, settling back into the couch, now starting to play with her hair.

As I looked her up and down, all I could think about was how I wanted her. She was quick and witty making her an equal match for my own sarcasm. She wasn't the strongest or fastest vampire around, but her ability to surprise more than made up for it. Her looks weren't perfect, but her uniqueness in hair and eye colour was what made her an absolute wonder to look at. She was a dab-hand at fighting which just made her all the more attractive. Just like the stones that seemed to surround her life, she was a precious treasure that I had just happened to have stumbled across.

And from there on I vowed that I would make her mine.

Jade's view

Twirling the ends of my hair into ringlets, I thought about Katherine. She was dangerous, not just to Damon, but to me as well. And it wasn't for her own gain, she was working for someone else, she'd made that quite clear. There was more to this whole episode than I cared to admit, trouble was up ahead.

I was snapped back into the present by the shifting of weight as Damon edged towards me. I stiffened at the look of hunger in his eyes, and I knew it wasn't for blood. We were just inches apart now, his eyes roving over me.

I moved away until my back was pressed against the arm of the couch but he just followed until he was almost on top of me, his arms either side, trapping me in.

"Damon, what are you doing?" I said each word slowly and carefully as if he were a wild animal ready to pounce, I was painfully aware of his naked torso hovering over me. At first he didn't say anything and I wondered if he'd even heard at all, "Damon?"

"I'm doing what I should have done when you first stepped out of that bedroom."

And like that his mouth crashed down onto mine, forcing himself onto me. I immediately retaliated, trying my utmost hardest to get his lips away from mine, but he was too strong, both physically and mentally.

When I realised that this method was not working out I went limp, not bothering to either return or reject his kisses. Noticing my lack of involvement, Damon retracted to find out the source of the problem. Then I pushed him onto the floor and ran, not a moment later he had me pinned to the wall. I banged my head on the hard plaster and cursed myself,

"Damn it!" Damon smirked and I glared back at him as he brushed his lips against mine making me shiver. Still holding my wrists down, he gently kissed each cheek. I screwed my eyes tightly shut as he pressed his soft lips to the random freckle on my right temple.

When he pulled away I looked at him, his black, silky hair was ruffled and messy, but it suited him. The thought of plunging my fingers into that mass of beautiful hair had entered my mind before I could stop it, and it was overpowering.

My face must have mirrored my thoughts because Damon was smiling in a way that said he was winning. He used both his hands to push my hair behind and away from my face and started to stroke my temples.

I put one hand on his bare chest to keep him at bay but this gesture only seemed to fuel his passion. His eyes never left mine and I had to swallow before I was able to speak,

"Don't," Damon's gaze shifted to my mouth as he replied,

"Why not?" He started to play with a few strands of my hair that had come loose and I was finding it increasingly difficult to keep a clear head,

"Because, because…" Damon leaned in so that his nose was practically touching mine,

"Exactly," then his lips joined with mine, sending an uninvited bolt of excitement right through me. The kiss started off soft but quickly turned hard and greedy. He had now moved so that he held me at the hips while my fingers knotted themselves into his silky, dark hair, keeping him to me. Our bodies pressed together in absolute bliss.

But all of a sudden it became too much and I twisted us round so that I had him against the wall as I pulled away. He looked at me, confused. Not a moment ago I had been more than willing.

"Damon, I said don't." His hands were still at my hips and mine in his hair, our positions hadn't changed and neither had his attitude, but I was confused. Damon's personality was so complex.

In the short space of time I had come to know him I had learned that he could go from murderous, to protective, to backing me up against a wall in the time it took to blink. He had proven to me that he was quite capable of hate but what about love?

There were two parts to me, the risky part that had kissed Damon and held him to me without a seconds thought and the logical part that had me thinking everything through, which was what stopped me now and made me hesitate. I didn't know what it was that Damon wanted and that scared me, what if all he wanted was to use me? I wouldn't put it past him.

I untangled myself from his gorgeous hair just as he reached up and wrapped his muscular arms around me. I sighed, rolled my eyes, and started to wriggle out of his grasp but he only tightened his grip on me. _Uh oh!_

"Damon would you please let me go?" It was more of a demand than a question.

"Why should I?" His grin was a challenging one.

"Because there will be dire consequences if you don't." His grin grew wider.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take."

I tried to step back but he kept me in place, I wasn't going anywhere. He started to caress me with his lips, moving his kisses down my jaw, filling me with heat. I arched my head up and he nuzzled my neck, nipping playfully. I tried to pull my head back down but he wouldn't let me, I was stuck as he stroked any bit of bare skin that he could find all the while keeping his arms firmly locked around me.

The only thing that stopped him was the sound of footsteps and the look on Elena's face as she appeared in the door way, Stefan hot on her heels.

Sorry it took so long to update but hopefully it was worth the wait…oooh! That rhymes! Anyway please do keep reviewing, it makes me smile and like my time is being well spent!


	8. Beautiful Demon

Chapter 8

Jade's view

The only thing that made this situation worse was how Damon didn't even seem ashamed of himself. He let me go but only to drape his arm over my shoulders in a possessive-like fashion which had Elena grinding her teeth.

"Hello Elena," he waved his fingers at her and I suddenly saw myself as a toy; something to play with and to make the other kids jealous. Elena was barely holding it together,

"Jade, may I see you for a minute?" I could only just make out the words through her locked jaw.

"Certainly," I picked up Damon's arm and let it drop to his side, emphasizing that I was not his to claim so easily. Then I followed Elena to the kitchen where I grabbed a glass of water. She was giving me a look that was so cold that I couldn't hold back my reaction, "Oh! Right, would you like some water too?" She turned from ice cold to ice queen and I knew that I had made yet another enemy. _Oh_ _well done! Bonus points for dopple gangers! _I rested the glass against my chest and sighed,

"Look Elena, whatever idea you've got stuck in that pretty little head of yours I guarantee you that it's wrong." A single vein stood out prominently on her forehead and started to throb rhythmically.

"Don't insult my intelligence Jade," she near enough spat out my name and I visibly shrank back from the venom in her voice, "I walked in and saw the two of you all over each other, it's disgusting!"

"Now hold on, that's just a tad harsh." A cruel smile played across her lips and I started to realise that maybe appearance wasn't the only thing she shared with Katherine.

"Let's get one thing straight," She sidled up to me, backing me up against the sink and rising up to her full height which was a good inch taller than me, two in her stilettos, "Damon is not yours." I frowned at this blatant display of territorial defence and set my drink down on the side,

"But, what about Stefan?" She snorted,

"What of him?" My brow furrowed with confusion,

"I assumed you two were in some sort of, well, relationship," Elena glared at me before replying,

"We are, but that does not mean that you can do with Damon whatever you so please." I suddenly felt sorry for Stefan and wondered if he had ever seen this side to his girlfriend. Probably not.

Footsteps were heard as Stefan approached and Elena switched to her angel act as she gave him a peck on the cheek, I almost gagged.

"Speak of the devil," I muttered under my breath. Stefan looked up,

"Hm?"

"Nothing," I sang while scratching the back of my neck. He studied me for a moment before turning back to the beautiful demon in his arms.

"Mind if I have a word with her next?" Elena kissed him full on the lips and smiled,

"Course not, though I'm not sure I should trust her with you alone," she looked at me with nothing but sarcastic humour. _Oh, she's good._

"That's okay, I wouldn't trust me either," I waggled my eyebrows at her and was rewarded with a fuming exit and a bewildered Green-eyes._ But I'm better._

"What was that about?" I picked up my drink, took a sip, set it down again and gave him a knowing smile,

"Girl stuff, in my opinion, the less you know the better." He nodded absently; I noticed that he seemed to be absent a lot, "So, what's up Green-eyes?" His look was one of surprise. _Forgot he didn't know about the nickname huh? _But he carried on regardless,

"Who _are_ you?" I cocked my head slightly to the left,

"I _thought_ I was Jade," he shook his head at me,

"I know your name but nothing else, where do you come from?" I pushed myself up and crossed to the other side of the kitchen, wondering how best to explain, Stefan stood stock still following me with only his eyes.

"See, the thing is, I don't really know myself," I brushed the counter top lightly with my fingertips, "We were always in hiding or running away."

"We?" He prompted while simultaneously stepping toward me.

"My Mum and Dad and I." I looked Stefan in those emerald green eyes of his, "I think we were running from my Dad's brother but I can't be certain, then Dad left and it was just me and my Mum. We ran for three years together, and then she couldn't take it anymore. I was eight…"

"_Mum!" I screamed as I scrambled up the front steps to our latest abode, a musty, rat infested apartment. _

"_Look at that shed! Jade lives in a shed!" Coral, one of the bigger girls in my class, shrieked with laughter as the rest of the kids started up a chant,_

"_Jade lives in a shed! Jade lives in a shed!"_

"_Mum!" My vision blurred and salty wet tears dribbled down my chubby cheeks._

"_What a baby," Coral scoffed, "Let's give baby Jade a sweet." I felt a small hard gumball bounce off the back of my head causing me to fall and make contact with the sharp edge of a concrete step. Blackness took hold of me for a second, and then I was being pelted with hundreds of multi-coloured sweets. Those who were empty handed opted to throw handfuls of stones. Some bigger than others._

_I whimpered and tried to protect my already bleeding scalp but this only spurred them on. _Why do I have to do everything wrong?

"_Excuse me," The voice was quiet but seeped with so much authority that everyone turned at once, or at least this is what I assumed since I was still curled up on the floor. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you at home? School's over is it not?"_

_I heard mumbling sounds from the group._

"_I'm sorry, what was that?" Then, after much prodding from the children, I heard Coral's reply,_

"_We were on our way home," I moaned quietly, my head hurt so much._

"_Well, you best be on your way don't you think?" They trooped off silently and ashamedly down the street until all I could hear was the sound of my own shallow breaths. I felt the stranger crouch next to me, "It's alright, they're gone."_

_I opened one eye and then the other; I saw a friendly man's face with a head of swept back hair the colour of dark chocolate. His face broke out into a smile but something about it was off, as if there was another meaning to it._

"_How's that head of yours?" I sat up and everything started to spin,_

"_It hurts," the man stood up and slowly helped me to my feet,_

"_I'd be more worried if it didn't." I smiled uncertainly, "Good bye Jade," I watched him walk away until he twisted on his heel to face me, "sorry about your mother, I'm sure you'll get over it…eventually." _

_I glanced at the house and looked back at an empty space, my heart leapt into my throat making it hard to breathe as I practically broke down the door, shouting now, "MUM!"_

_I found our room, number 6, and pounded my small fist against the dusty wood of the door, "Mu-Ow!" I pulled my hand back, impaled with several tiny splinters, and kicked at the door. Its rusted hinges broke away to reveal a scene that would haunt my nightmares for the best part of my life._

_My Mum, drained of blood from two puncture marks on her neck, nailed to the wall in the shape of a cross. Her suicide note taped just above her head. I couldn't breathe, I was screaming…_

I ran my fingers through my hair, "I try not to think about it but you can just imagine how difficult it is to forget an event like that." During some point of my childhood trauma story both Damon and Elena had joined the growing audience.

The silence was broken by a ringing phone, "Jenna, she needs me back to keep an eye on Jer," Elena moved from Damon's side to Stefan's, she was such a tease; the look Damon gave her as she walked away said it all. He was hooked. "Take me home?"

Still looking at me he nodded, and I at least had the satisfaction of seeing the smoke shoot out of Elena's ears as she realised that she wasn't the centre of attention, before they left. Again.

Damon was looking at me with an undistinguishable emotion in his eyes, he pointed to the door behind,

"I'll get us a drink then shall I?"

This chapter in particular was really fun to write, especially Jade's reminiscence. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Once again, if you read it (and enjoyed it) than review it!


	9. Drink my Blood and Eat my Flesh

_Author's Note: Reviews have gone down again so I would like a total of __**10**__ reviews for this one before the next chapter goes up. I really enjoyed writing this chapter and is double its usual length since some people felt that it was too short (You know who you are). So please enjoy…_

_P.S I know this is a bit late but the only characters that belong to me are Jade Onyx and Alyson, everyone else is completely that of L.!_

Chapter 9

Jade's view

I pried my eyes open, glued together by un-removed mascara, to sunlight and a splitting headache. Did vampires get headaches? Evidently so, since my head was fit to burst, but I guess that's the consequence of consuming around two bottles of brandy. And it would seem that there are no exceptions for the un-dead as it were.

I was lying on the couch with a shirtless Damon behind me; he hadn't bothered to put another shirt on after the 'wooden bullet' incident. His arms were wrapped around me and his face rested on my shoulder, but apart from the missing shirt, nothing else was out of place so nothing else could've happened. For the moment, last night was a bit of a blur, but I wasn't worried.

I sat up, pulled his arms apart and away from me, and stumbled to my feet. I looked back down at Damon's undisturbed slumber,

"Awww, the beauty of alcohol," then I made a quick getaway to the shower. The sensation of hot water pouring over my face and down my back woke my mind out of its alcohol based dreams to the reality of my situation. I was a vampire.

This we had already established but it still seemed surreal. Elena was the spawn of Hades himself, I would have to keep an eye on her. Katherine was after me, but only as a favour to Alyson. Funnily enough, this did not make me feel any better. Stefan was really interested in my life story; this could get a bit complicated. And finally, Damon was enjoying my company just a little too much. Oh dear.

And all in one day, that was quite an achievement.

Stepping onto the now warm, moist linoleum, I grabbed a clean white towel and rubbed myself down before wrapping it around my body. I let my hair hang behind me in a dripping tangled mess and looked in the mirror. My skin was pink from the hot water and although the towel was short it covered the necessities.

Unfortunately, I had no clothes or make-up to work with, which was a problem, especially with Damon around. I told myself that he was probably still asleep and unlocked the bathroom door. It opened silently, thank God, and I crept into the room.

I was behind the couch and from this angle I couldn't tell if Damon was still there or not, but my question was soon answered.

"Hello Jade," I spun into a hard and well defined chest.

"For God's sake Damon! Put a shirt on why don't you!" He smirked,

"Why would I do that? When you so obviously enjoy my lack of clothing," He stepped forward and I stepped back.

"You're _obviously _very deluded and should put something on before the cold completely ruins your mental capability." His gaze swept over me,

"You're one to talk," I pulled my towel closer to me, again he stepped forward and I stepped back. His smirk grew into a grin, "I like it."

"I never would have guessed," my voice dripped with sarcasm. Damon's smile became chilling and I only had a second to register his thoughts before he had lifted me into his arms. "Damon! I'm wearing a bloody towel!"

"Really? I never would have guessed," his tone and his words suggested all too clearly that he was mocking me.

"This isn't funny!"

"Well, I think it's hilarious," I held on to my towel while he ran into his bedroom and threw me onto his bed. When I looked up he was gone and on the bed next to me was a set of clothes and make-up…

Damon's view

I buttoned up my brown silk shirt and blue jeans in the lounge while thinking about Jade. Her life sounded as horrifying and difficult as my own, only she was lucky enough to have no pathetic brothers to have to compete with.

I straightened my collar and poured myself a glass of brandy, Jade was tough. I knew that. But, holding her in my arms in nothing but a towel, reminded me that she was still a girl. She still had feelings and maybe she would be more affected by attempts of kindness and the acts of a gentleman than seductive hints and outright attacks. It was an intriguing idea, one that only time would tell if it was a good one or not.

I liked Jade, there was no denying it, she was beautiful. That was nothing though; I knew tonnes of beautiful women, but she had personality. Jade was funny, she liked to play, and as much as she tried to hide it, she reacted to my touch. She was sarcastic and didn't take any crap, I guess in a way she was the complete opposite to Elena. Elena was beautiful too but in a popular high-school way, Jade was beautiful in her unique looks.

Elena was a dead ringer for Katherine and didn't even know how to use sarcasm. Or if she did I had never witnessed it. Elena needed protecting from the monsters in her closet, and that's what made her so appealing. But, Jade didn't need any of that, she knew how to take care of herself and made a point of letting other people know it too. What made her so tantalizing was that she was a challenge, and when I made her mine it would be worth it. Every last effort would be worth it in the end…

Jade's view

I looked in the mirror in satisfaction; it wasn't a bad job for an inexperienced make-up applier, such as myself. I let my hair curl around my shoulders in its luxurious wavy fashion; my attire complied of a purple satin tie blouse, a pair of dark trouser jeans and a pair of Gucci shoes. I had to admit, Damon's choice of clothing was better than anything I could've picked.

I had then finished off with a simple application of liner, mascara, pink eye shadow and lip gloss. I winked at my reflection, "Not bad." Then I went to find something to do.

I opened the bedroom door and strode out to find myself facing Damon's back, deep in thought. _Payback time._

"Oh Damon," I sang his name and he turned with surprise. I glided over to him, plucked the empty glass out of his hand and twirled it, letting the light bounce off its surface, "Do you remember last night?" He frowned,

"Yes, why?" He was being cautious, and so he should be. I put the glass down and batted my eyelashes at him,

"I believe we started something, but due to the alcohol, we never quite finished." He gained my meaning fast and showed a perfect set of gleaming white teeth,

"Remind me, where exactly did we get to?" I smiled. _Hook, line and sinker._

"Well," I placed my hand on his chest and gently pushed him back against the wall, "I believe we were kissing passionately on the couch," I ran my fingers over the front of his shirt, "I also believe that a certain top was absent at the time," I heard Damon catch his breath and knew that I had to stop soon or I was going to completely brake my pretence, "And do you know what else I believe?"

"Tell me," his hands reached for my waist but I used my vampire speed to pin them above his head and then leaned in to whisper,

"I believe that you're a complete sucker for a pretty girl," I watched as the realisation hit that I was playing him. Then he used _his _speed to push me into the back of the near-by couch causing me to burst into a fit of laughter.

"What now," he growled while I attempted to stifle the bouts of giggles that racked my body,

"It…it…it…wait…wait," I wiped at the tears that were now streaming down my face and tried to breathe but when I looked at his bewildered expression it only brought on the next round of laughter. I noticed that Damon was finding my 'attack of the giggles' very amusing and I couldn't blame him. Recognising a lost cause when he saw one, I was released allowing me to crawl over the back of the couch so as to lie among its soft pillows and work off the hilarity that was Damon.

It took a full ten minutes before I was able to speak again and Damon had been standing over me the whole time,

"Oh, waterproof liner, you gotta love it," I sat up and Damon plonked himself down beside me, "I'm sorry but you are just so gullible it's hilarious!" I was surprised by how genuine his smile was and bumped him to the side playfully, "You know I'm only playing with you."

"You are so weird,"

"Why thank yore," he was studying me intensely but I just grinned back at him. Messing with Damon's mind was just so much fun, and 'fun' was exactly what I needed right now. I laid back so that my head was resting against the arm of the couch and my feet on his lap,

"So what's the plan for today?" He balanced his arms across my legs in front of him,

"_I'm_ going to do some research on this 'Alyson'; _you're _going to stay out of the way." I blew a raspberry,

"That sounds great Damon; maybe I'll get the chores done while I'm at it? Are you out of your tiny little mind? I can't just sit around like some confused old lady. I need something to do," I picked myself up and crossed to the other side of the room to play with the empty glass, Damon stayed where he was twisting to watch me.

"If you're so bored go to school," I shuddered at the thought of all those kids in one place,

"No thank you. I'd rather do the chores," he shrugged,

"Do the chores than, do the whole town if you need to, I really couldn't care less. Just try to stay out of my way," and with that he was gone, leaving to me to my own demise.

Not knowing what to do I made my way to the kitchen rinsed out the glass and set it upside down on the wash-board. Then I turned and leaned back against the counter looking into space. Maybe school wasn't such a bad idea, after all, just because I went there didn't necessarily mean that I had to learn. A slow smile spread across my face,

"Let's visit Green-Eyes."

Stefan's view

"Elena, are you sure everything's alright?" Elena kissed me politely,

"Everything's fine Stefan," I wasn't convinced, "Is it okay if I sit with the girls today? Only there's stuff we need to talk about," We were standing in front of our English class getting ready for lunch and Bonnie and Meredith were lingering behind her expectantly. Something was definitely off. All day Elena hadn't been herself, usually she was all for a conversation and always did well in class, but today no-one could get a word out of her and when asked a question she could never answer. It was like there was something on her mind, and she was consumed by it.

"Well okay, if you're sure there's nothing wrong," she put her hand on my chest,

"I'm sure," And with a peck on the cheek she left for the cafeteria and I for my locker. But when I got there I was met by an unexpected and unwelcome surprise, Jade. She strode up the corridor toward me as if she completely belonged.

"Hey Green-Eyes!" I blocked her way, stopping her from going any further,

"Jade? What are you doing here? What's wrong? Where's Damon?"

"Calm down Green-Eyes, Damon's fine, nothing's wrong, and I'm just really bored."

"And another thing, why do you keep calling me Green-Eyes?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I rolled my eyes and pointed to them,

"Right, green, got it," She shook her head at me,

"No it's not that, your name never really suited you," Well I hadn't been expecting that, "And Green-Eyes just seemed to fit the shoe." She smiled making me smile in return.

"YOU BITCH!" We both turned to see Elena storming up the passage way, "YOU COW, YOU…YOU," The crack of her hand making contact with Jade's cheek echoed throughout the building, students began to gather in curiosity. "I knew you always wanted to break us up Jade Onyx! But Stefan and I are too strong!" I heard murmurings from the growing crowd behind us,

"Who's Jade Onyx?"

"Wow, she's pretty! No wonder Elena's freaking out…"

"I think I would've remembered her…"

I grabbed Elena by the shoulders and put myself between her and Jade, "Elena! What's got into you?" Her face was beetroot red with anger but I couldn't understand why,

"Whatever she's been telling you, don't believe her! All that comes out of her mouth is bile!" I looked back at Jade who I could tell was shocked and bewildered but was it my imagination? Or had she almost expected something like this to happen? I twisted around to face Elena,

"Jade hasn't said anything," Her look was one of disbelief,

"She hasn't?"

"No, we've hardly said two words to each other." She took a moment to process this and then looked at Jade over my shoulder, who was still cradling her red cheek,

"Oh," Her eyes flicked between the two of us and then addressed Jade, "I am so sorry Jade, I haven't been myself all day, please forgive me."

Jade's view

Forgive her? Was she mad? She had just slapped me for no good reason and accused me of stealing Stefan, and she wanted forgiveness? But when I looked into her eyes I remembered that this was all an act, she didn't want forgiveness, not really. All she really wanted was to redeem herself in the eyes of Stefan, and if I didn't forgive her then it wouldn't make me look good.

I plastered a huge smile on my face, "Oh Elena, you know that I could never stay mad with you!" I pushed past Stefan and pulled her into a bear hug, she stiffened for a second before picking up on the act. Then she pulled away and I let her go,

"Thank you, come on Stefan, we'll be late for class," She intertwined her fingers with his. Stefan glanced down at me,

"I think you'd better go home," and then left with the devil's daughter, Bonnie and Meredith following suit.

I wandered aimlessly through the streets of Mystic Falls feeling dejected, Stefan's words had stuck in my head and I couldn't help but think there may have been an alternative meaning behind them.

Did Green-Eyes really want me to leave? Or had he meant "home" as in his own home? Did he really think that I had a home to go back to? Was it to do with the confrontation at school? Sure Elena was mad at me but how could he not see that I had absolutely nothing to do with that?

I kicked a stone lying in my path and growled.

"Whoa, easy Tiger," I looked up to see Damon smirking at me,

"Well howdy stranger," I returned his smirk, "What brings you to these parts?"

"I, my dear, have been doing my homework," I picked up a second stone and started to chuck it in the air,

"And while you were doing your homework, I actually went to school,"

"Yes, I heard about that. We've been a very naughty girl haven't we?" He waggled his finger in front of me and I made to throw the stone at him, but at the last second, turned and hurled it in the opposite direction. I twisted on my heel to find Damon trespassing on my personal bubble,

"Dig up any dirt on Alyson?" He leaned in,

"Maybe," His long fingers wrapped themselves around my wrists, "Or maybe not," I tried to pull my hands away but he held them down by my sides as he bumped the edge of his nose with mine, I could feel his sweet breath on my face, mint, "Come on, I'll tell you back at the boarding house. I need a drink and this isn't the place for it,"

He let go of one of my wrists keeping a firm hold on the other and dragged me to our destination, only letting go when I was situated in front of the couch. Almost immediately he returned with two glasses of AB+ and handed me one. I drained half the glass and wiped my mouth before he started to explain,

"How familiar are you with 'Judas Iscariot'?" He took a sip from his glass his eyes never leaving mine,

"Umm…wasn't he from the Bible?" My eyes squinted together,

"Very good! So you aren't _completely _brain dead after all," His smile was mocking,

"Yes yes, very good. What about him?" He sat down and patted the space next to him, I perched myself on the arm. He shrugged,

"Suit yourself," He sipped from his glass before continuing, "Do you remember what Judas did?"

"Betrayed Jesus, sent him to his death, he was the 'little bird' who told the Romans about him." Damon adjusted his position so that he was lying on the couch with one arm behind his head, the other resting the glass on his chest, and his feet resting next to me.

"Yes, and legend has it that after this he was so racked with guilt that he hung himself."

"I didn't know about that bit,"

"Not many do, but it is believed that God cursed him to walk the Earth until his son's return and that he could only survive on Jesus' blood which he could only get through Christians." I looked at my glass,

"I thought any blood would do," He rolled his eyes at me,

"This is only legend remember?"

"Oh, right. But what has this got to do with Alyson?"

"I was getting to that," He snapped, I looked down,

"Sorry," He sat up and crossed his legs as if he were telling a really good story,

"There is also a second myth that I think fits Alyson a bit more. It goes with the last supper saying that Jesus was quite literal when he said drink my blood and eat my flesh yadda yadda yadda. It is also possible that Jesus was a vampire himself, which means drink his blood and 'Ta Da!' You're a vampire," He snapped his fingers. I glugged the rest of my blood and set the glass down on the floor.

"So we think that Alyson drank Jesus' blood?"

"Seems that way,"

"What about Judas?" He scratched his chin,

"Well, either it's a lie or Alyson isn't the first vampire, just very close to it."

I was about to say more when Stefan burst in from the bedroom, when had he got in?

"Damon! What is this?" He held up a bloody shirt, he was fuming,

"Right, about that, we may have had a little situation while you were at school yesterday. No biggie," Stefan towered over him,

"What kind of situation?" He was calmer but still angry,

"We just ran into Katherine is all,"

"Katherine?" Stefan spluttered, "How? Why?"

"Relax brother-,"

"How can I relax when you don't tell me these things!"

In the midst of their heated argument I saw the one person in the whole world that I had never expected to see again walk into the room,

"Dad?"

Damon turned to see who it was and then looked back at me in disbelief,

"Dad!"

Stefan just stared at the intruder with cold recognition,

"Elijah."

He spoke with a British accent that I remembered well,

"Hello children."

_Author's Note (again): Thank you for reading, please review and let me know what you think! Constructive criticism is welcome and any ideas for what you would like to read are highly appreciated, and remember…__**10!**_

_Kind Regards, ElizaJay xx _


	10. Innocent as an angel

_Author's Note: Sob sob, I only got 5 reviews…I've put up the next chapter purely for those who __**did **__review because I couldn't stand to make them wait. To those of you reviewed…Thank You! You've made me very happy! _

Chapter 10

Damon's view

"Do you believe in God Damon?" I slowly turned from Jade to her supposed father,

"No," I said firmly, "After my crappy lifetime, I don't believe there is."

"Pity," He held himself in a superior manner; I scowled at him as he moved his attention onto my brother, "And you?"

"I believe that there's _something _out there, but whether it _is_ God or not I can't say."

I rolled my eyes, typical Stefan, always sticking with the safe answer. His gaze shifted,

"And what about you…Jade?" I felt her stiffen at the sound of her name coming off _his_ lips and immediately positioned myself between the two of them,

"I wouldn't if I were you," I threatened,

"Please Damon, as if I would harm my own daughter," I heard a low growl from behind me,

"I'm more worried about _her _harming _you_," He gestured as if to brush off my warning,

"As if a girl like my Jade would-," I was suddenly pushed roughly to the floor as Jade used her unnatural speed to pin Elijah to the wall by his neck, his eyes bulged in shock as both his sentence and his air supply were cut off,

"Don't you EVER say that AGAIN!" She bashed his head against the hard surface, "I am NOT your Jade and I NEVER WILL BE!" Her voice was filled with so much anger and hurt and…hate. She truly hated this man and I didn't doubt for one second that if she could she would kill him.

I ran over, locked one arm around her waist, the other over her chest, and dragged her away. Unfortunately her anger boosted her strength and she fought back, trying to pull us both toward her trembling father,

"Let me stake him Damon! I promise I'll only do it the one time!" At any other time I would have laughed out loud but this didn't seem like the right place. I managed to keep her at bay but only just while my idiot brother stood and watched,

"Stefan!" I called, snapping him out of his dream world and forcing him into our cold and cruel reality, "A little help here?" He nodded dumbly and went to help Elijah to his feet, allowing him to use his shoulder for support.

"Jade…" His voice was barely a whisper as his only daughter tried everything in her power to escape from my prohibiting arms; she stopped and stood rigid, looking Elijah right in the eyes,

"You killed her," Her voice was dangerously quiet, "You left and she couldn't stand it," I could feel the anger and suffering bubble to the surface, she was going to blow, "I HAD NO PARENTS FOR TEN YEARS AND THEN YOU DARE TO WALTZ BACK INTO MY LIFE?"

"Jade shhh, calm down," I stroked her hair out of her face and kept her pressed against me, she trembled in my grip and then her legs gave out. I fell to the floor with her, she turned to bury her head into the nook of my shoulder as her body shook with silent sobs and I cradled her as if she were a child.

I glared at Elijah accusingly; he just looked at Jade as if his whole life were crumbling before him. _Good._

"How did you get in here?" I demanded, a whimper escaped Jade's throat and I tightened my hold on her,

"An old woman let me in, I believe her name was Mrs Flowers," His voice sounded dead but then he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again he stood taller. He no longer needed Stefan to hold him up, "She was _very _helpful," His tone had turned sarcastic and his eyes skimmed over the room as if he were inspecting it. His posture was polite and reserved but his whole being shouted, "_I don't care."_

The answer to this sudden change of behaviour hit both me and Stefan at the same time as we looked at each other in silent, dreaded agreement.

He had switched off his emotions.

Jade's view

I took comfort in Damon's body heat as I slowly calmed down and felt his arms wrapped around me like a safe haven. _Ha! Damon? Safe? What a turnout. _

We were on our knees and my tears had soaked his shirt, when I turned to look up I met my Dad's gaze, it was cold and detached and I couldn't look away. I could feel Damon's black eyes on me,

"Jade? Ja-ade!" He shook me gently but I didn't respond, I couldn't respond. I heard a distant conversation, "I'm taking Jade to bed, she's had enough surprises for one night,"

I felt his arm move from my waist so that he could position it under my legs as he stood up and brought me with him,

"Damon don't-,"

"No Stefan, you deal with Elijah and I'll take care of his daughter," I almost heard the smirk in his voice before he turned swiftly on his heel and left the room, up the stairs and down the hall to the left, Damon kicked the door shut behind him but instead of letting me go he sat cross-legged in the middle of the double bed and set me up into a sitting position on his lap.

I curled up into a ball so that my head fit comfortably under his chin but I refused to cry anymore, he didn't deserve it.

"Why?" It came out as a hoarse croak, there was a horrible taste in my mouth and my throat felt like closing up,

"Because God doesn't exist," He said simply, and I found myself nodding at this statement. For a long time we just sat in this position, I, scrunched up in his lap with his chin resting on my head, and him, holding me to his chest as if I were a rare bird who could easily take flight at any given moment.

"Damon?"

"Hm?"

"Are you sure I can't stake him? It won't be fatal or anything and I'll only do it once,"

I heard him chuckle darkly against my hair and felt the corners of my lips turn up in response,

"I think it would take a bit more than a piece of wood to harm an original, but it's an intriguing thought," My mouth formed itself into a full smile,

"I bet we could take him down,"

"I bet we could," His reply was a murmur as if he were thinking, my eyes closed and my mouth opened in a yawn that I didn't even attempt to hide, "I also bet you could get some sleep." I tried to make myself smaller in his arms,

"No, I'm-I'm-," I was interrupted by another yawn that lasted at least five seconds, "I'm fine." I heard the smile in his voice,

"Yeah, and my brother doesn't eat squirrels for breakfast. Bed. Now," I crawled out of his grasp, hopped to the floor and turned to find Damon in front of me. He held out a pair of pyjamas, dark blue shorts and a matching strappy top, studying me intently. I took them, smiled radiantly, and moved to the en suit…

Damon's view

I proceeded to pull off my shirt, shoes, and socks until all that was left were my jeans, and lay on the bed with my hands behind my head. Jade seemed to be alright now but I couldn't understand how she was refraining from grabbing the nearest wooden object and impaling it into that son-of-a-bitch's chest.

I also couldn't understand her reactions to the things going on around her, every time I thought I knew what she was thinking she would completely take me by surprise.

It was as though she saw the world and everything in it in a different light, a brighter light, what was it that made her so different? I intended to find out…

Jade's view

I came out of the bathroom and dumped my clothes on the floor, which was when I noticed Damon lying on the bed half naked. I shook my head in amusement,

"Damon, really?" His expression was innocent,

"What? I'm just lying in _my _bed, what's wrong with that?" I had to admit he had a point,

"Fine," He looked surprised for a moment, "Which way to the couch," He returned to his usual cocky self, uncovering my side of the bed and patting the unoccupied space. I looked to the door, "I wonder if Stefan would loan me his bed for the night,"

"Don't even think about it," He growled, I twisted my head and grinned,

"Was that a challenge Salvatore?" I took a step in the direction of the hall and watched as his body stiffened,

"That was a threat Onyx," His eyes were trained on me, ready to pounce the moment I made a break for it. Any other time I would have made a blind dash for the door but I _was _tired so instead I sighed and looked at Damon as if I were defeated,

"I guess you win…for now," He relaxed,

"Good enough for me," He watched as I dragged my feet dramatically across the wooden floor boards and plonked myself down on the bed. I lifted my feet up and stretched before resting my head on the soft pillow, I sighed in contentment and pulled the covers over me,

"If you dare kick in your sleep Salvatore then so help me Satan himself won't be able to save you from my wrath." I glared at him in mock seriousness as he snickered at my warning and made himself comfortable. Apparently, the only way he could do this was by supporting his head with his elbow and draping his arm across my stomach so that he could stroke my cheek lightly with his fingertips,

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," My breath caught at the familiar words, the closeness, the intimacy, it was all very De-Ja-Vu-like. He smirked at my reaction, his black eyes delving into mine, searching, I squinted at him,

"What are you looking for?" His expression didn't change and his eyes continued to question mine,

"Jade Onyx," He smiled at the way my name sounded on his lips making me shiver, "You just don't make sense," He leaned in so that I could feel his cool breath on my face and started to trace invisible patterns on my skin, my own breathing came faster now,

"I'll try to see that as a compliment,"

"You should," I didn't move as he positioned himself so that his torso was over mine and his arms were either side of my head, trapping me in. He traced my lips with his finger,

"You still haven't answered my question, you're looking for something, what is it?" His gaze met mine as he replied,

"You're so different. You don't act rationally and your logic makes no sense. I'm trying to figure out how that brain of yours works," He lightly stroked the ends of my hair and somehow I felt it, I gulped,

"I never realised I was different," He gave me an incredulous look,

"How could you not?" I shrugged under his weight, "You never act normal and when you do it's to play some practical joke, usually on me," I smiled but it was quickly wiped off by a thought,

"Wait a minute," I sat up pushing him off me, "You think seducing you before I've even had breakfast is normal? I think you need a new perspective on women," We were sitting up now and he brushed his hand down the length of my arm and leaned in so that his lips were almost touching mine,

"Is that so?" I could see where this was going but was powerless to stop it. He took my head in his hands and all I could see were his eyes that swallowed me whole like twin black holes, "Give me a new perspective," And then his mouth was on mine.

His hand flew to the back of my head pressing me to him, his other hand held me at the waist. My arms found their own way around his neck while I concentrated on moving my lips in sync with his. My body flooded with warmth and I was filled with a heady dizziness that had me breaking away for oxygen.

He was looking at me with a sort of wonder, as if kissing me like that was the only way he could truly see me for who I was, and he liked what he saw. I felt the blush creeping up to my cheeks, I hadn't realised that vampires _could_ blush, and said the first thing that came to mind,

"Well…night then," Then I turned onto my side facing the opposite way and turned off the lamp light. I heard him supress a laugh as he lay down beside me and moved so that one arm pulled me to him and the other went to brush my hair away from my face, he kissed my neck lightly grazing the soft skin with his teeth,

"Night then,"

**Later That Night**

Damon's view

I glanced down at Jade's sleeping form in my arms. With her red hair splayed over the pillow, her eyes closed and her lips slightly parted, she looked as innocent as an angel. It almost made me laugh to think that she was as cunning as the devil.

Her steady breathing was like my own personal melody, lulling me into a sense of warmth and happiness that I had never felt before. Not even with Katherine. _Where was I coming up with this stuff? God! I was getting worse than Stefan._

I felt Jade stir in her sleep stopping my thoughts in their tracks, how could she hold this much power over me? Her forehead creased in a sleepy frown making me want to reach up and smooth out whatever it was that was troubling her, but when her hand came into contact with my chest, I physically stopped.

My breath caught in my throat and my mind went blank as she tentatively stroked the place where my heart used to be. A small smile crept onto her face and she nuzzled her nose into the hollow of my neck, the crown of her head cushioned itself against my jaw and she sighed happily.

In that sigh I felt the cobwebs being blown off my emotions, one emotion in particular that I hadn't let myself feel for a long time, love. I wasn't sure that I was _in _love, but there was no denying it…I loved Jade. She made me feel complete, we thought differently but these thoughts didn't stop us from being similar, this didn't make sense. My life, or should I say _existence, _didn't make sense, not anymore.

_That's because _she _doesn't make sense._

I kissed the top of her head and watched as her smile grew…

**The Next Morning**

Jade's view

I knew it was morning by the sunlight that poured through the curtains that we had forgotten to close last night. _Wait…we? _I stretched experimentally, and sure enough I found myself restricted by the arms of another,

"Morning Tiger,"

My eyes shot open to discover two black gems staring down at me, I scowled slightly,

"Oh no, not you again," I pulled the covers over my head,

"Why? What's wrong with me?" I felt him tug at the edge of the quilt,

"Leave me alone Damon," I stayed strong and he started to pull,

"Jade…" He growled playfully,

"Damon…" I mimicked his tone, he stopped,

"So, not a morning person huh?" I shook my head under the sheets,

"Nuh-uh,"

"We'll just have to fix that then won't we," Before I could react to the meaning in that sentence I was splashed with freezing cold water, it soaked the bed, it soaked my pyjamas, and most importantly, it soaked me.

"AAAHHH! DAMON!" I ripped off the covers and charged at Damon who was starting to laugh, he caught me deftly and twirled me around,

"Care to dance?" I tugged at my hand to no avail as his iron grip kept hold,

"No I would _not_ care to dance!" He chuckled and proceeded to spin me around the room, "Don't you ever listen! Besides, it's not gentlemanly to keep a lady against her will,"

"And it's not lady-like to refuse a gentleman's invitation," He replied quickly, I cussed under my breath and he smirked, "Face it Jade, you can't beat me," He pulled me towards him and whispered in my ear, "I'm too good,"

I twisted in his grip only to have my arm pulled up and behind my back, I was stuck, and it was utterly my fault,

"Did I mention that you look absolutely tantalising when wet?"

"I'd zip it if I were you Salvatore,"

"Careful Onyx, you might accidently sound like you care," He twisted me back round so that I was facing him, his fingers wrapped themselves around my forearms and for a second his eyes pierced mine and I felt horribly trapped, not for the first time, I didn't want him looking into my soul, it felt too intimate, but I couldn't look away. And then he kissed me.

But this felt different from the others, it felt like a first kiss, how it should have been. Our minds opened to each other as the kiss deepened until I heard a voice in my mind as clearly as if It had been said out loud,

_Or maybe you do care. _I jumped but he refused to let me go and kept our lips locked together,

_Damon? _I felt his chuckle emanate from his chest,

_The one and only. _I sighed against his mouth,

_Self-obsessed._

_Completely naive._

_No sense of humour._

_Drama queen._

_Hey! _I pulled away from him, "Look who's talking!"

He smiled and brushed his lips against my forehead, I melted into his grip,

"You wouldn't be interesting without a bit of drama," I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling back at him,

"Just don't soak me again or you'll be walking with a limp," I pushed past him to the bathroom and slammed the door on his laughter.

_Author's Note (again): Okay, now's the part where you review…go on! Review now! _

_Do it do it do it…_


	11. Crow or Raven?

_Author's Note: Sorry it took a while to get this chapter up, school, difficulties, the usual. Warning: If you read this chapter you must review(please!)_

Chapter 11

Jade's view

"Hello…_Dad_," I stood in the door way to the main room as my father, Elijah, turned with a cold glint in his eye. I had told Damon that I had wanted to talk to him alone but now I wasn't so sure. My arms were crossed over my chest and my legs in a shoulder-length stance; I returned his look with indifference as the corners of his mouth turned up,

"Hello my dear, how lovely to see that you've controlled that wild temper of yours," I clenched my jaw and stared him down reminding myself that he didn't know me, he'd been away too long, he had missed the gradual changes in my personality.

"My _temper _as you call it only comes out when there's a reason, usually I keep it in check," He nodded,

"Glad to hear it," I couldn't help the low growl that passed my lips and he studied me inquisitively,

"You are not my father; you stopped being anything close the day you walked out on us. So stop acting like you have some parental authority over me because as far as I'm concerned you died years ago." His eyes lit up at the challenge in my voice and he took a step toward me, I refused to move,

"Jade, I assure you, I am strictly here on business and nothing more. If it seemed that I was acting parental in any way then you can be sure that the mistake was yours." I dug my nails into the palms of my hands and felt the blood run to keep myself from scratching his eyes out. His expression was mildly amused making me grind my teeth together as he came even closer,

"If you knew what was good for you, you'd stay back," He stopped and I had to strain my ears to hear him,

"If _you _knew what was good for you, _you'd _get out of here," I tilted my head to the right,

"Here?" His face was a complete mask as he answered,

"Mystic Falls. They know you're here and when the time is right they _will _come for you,"

"Who?" But my mind already knew the answer,

"Alyson," A shiver ran through me at the mention of her name though I didn't know why, "That is all the help you will get from me, like I said, I am here strictly on business and nothing more," He made to brush past me but without thinking my hand shot out and grabbed his upper arm none too gently,

"Where do you think you're going? We're not finished yet," His eyes met mine not bothering to disguise his boredom,

"I think you'll find that we are," I tightened my grip on him but it went unnoticed,

"You know you are so close to being the straw that breaks the camel's back and I am being really nice considering the situation, so why don't you just tell me what _business _you're here for," We glared at each other, mine filled with hate and his with mild thought,

"I'm here to relay a message," When he failed to carry on I prompted him,

"From…?" And gestured for him to continue,

"My brother, Klaus. He says 'Break out the blood',"

"What kind of message is that? What does it mean?"

"I think it means that he will be visiting shortly," His gaze flicked to my hand, "I see you kept the ring," I let go of him immediately,

"By the way, how did you know-,"

"About vampires? I would've thought you'd have figured it out by now," I waited expectantly, "Nothing? Shame. I thought you were brighter than that," I bared my teeth, "Jade, I too am a vampire," I gasped and he chuckled.

"How long?" That was the longest sentence that my brain could process,

"Always, that's why I had to leave, your mother never knew and after more than five years together I didn't want her getting suspicious, so I left." My voice had never sounded so childish as I argued,

"You didn't have to leave," He shrugged,

"Maybe, but it's too late, now, if you'll excuse me," This time I didn't stop him as he walked out of my life for the second time.

Damon's View

From my perch up in the tree I watched as Elijah left the building. _Good riddance. _I was in my crow form, it was always the best form to take when spying from the high branches, and now I was mulling over the conversation that I had been eves-dropping on. My thoughts were interrupted by low mumblings coming from the house, I focused on the voices inside,

"He was just the messenger, something about someone called Klaus telling us to 'Break out the blood' which Elijah seems to think means he'll be paying us a visit," I recognised Jade's usually sarky voice,

"Klaus? That's not good news, are you sure that's what he said," _Stefan. _My blood slowly began to boil, what was _he _doing there?

"Yes, yes I am, Why? What's wrong with Klaus?"

"He just isn't the best person to hang about with," I must've missed some look that he had given her because the next thing Jade said surprised me,

"What are you suggesting?"

"I think you know," There was a moment of silence, "I don't think you should spend so much time with him, he isn't…the _safest_ person to be around,"

"What, Damon? Nah," My feathers bristled at the mention of my name and when I realised what my brother was trying to do I dived off the branch and flew through the open window so that I landed on the arm of the couch that Jade was sitting on with a loud caw.

I saw her turn her head to face me in the corner of my eye but I had fixed my deadly gaze onto my younger brother, daring him to say any more that would turn Jade against me.

"Now Damon," He cautioned me,

"Damon," I heard the smile in Jade's voice as if it had all become clear to her, good, at least it had happened to one of them. I took no heed of my brother's warning and propelled myself into the air so as to pull out his tongue when I was stopped by a pair of gentle but firm hands, "Would you look at yourself? I'm not sure how much damage you're going to do as a bird,"

_Watch me._

_Not if I can help it._

She started to stroke the top of my head with the pad of her thumb, no-one had ever done this before, in 145 years this was the first time and it felt marvellous. I stayed still under her hypnotic touch and listened, taking in the things around me,

"How are you doing that?" Stefan was looking at me in amazement and disbelief,

"Hm? Oh! Growing up I got really interested in birds, I mean they could go anywhere they wanted, they could escape, and they sort of became my friends. So I learnt a few tricks about them," She pressed her thumb down and I couldn't help but relent under her gentle pressure,

"Ha! I think he likes it," Stefan exclaimed, I wanted to protest but found that I couldn't,

"Of course he does, he's just like any other bird," I must've missed another look between the two of them since Stefan had averted his gaze to the floor, "I know you think that he's completely evil-,"

"I never said-,"

"Never the less that's what you think and I don't blame you but I think there's more to it than that," She spoke quickly so as not to be interrupted, "He has a very complicated personality, and the only way he can cope is to hide behind this bad boy act of his. Don't get me wrong it's very realistic, very _very_ realistic, but an act all the same," I felt Stefan's eyes on me but I could only look back with happy tranquillity, "Think you can understand Green-Eyes?" He looked up and smiled a smile that didn't quite reach up to his eyes,

"Looks like I'll have to," He pointed in the direction of the front door behind him, "I better pick up Elena," I felt Jade shift uncomfortably beneath me, _what was that about? _"See you in a bit,"

"Right, bye," And he was gone. Sighing she kicked her feet up onto the couch and positioned me onto her stomach before letting me go, I ruffled my feathers making her giggle slightly, her body vibrated beneath my feet. I looked into her eyes and really noted the colour, at the moment they were a warm snowy grey but I could easily imagine them turning into shards of ice or thunder clouds. Her arms lay over her chest and I hopped onto them,

"I think I prefer you as a bird,"

_Crow._

"How do you know you're not a raven?" I cocked my head to the side, "I mean, you're a bit big to be a crow, let's be honest, and ravens are more intelligent so it would make more sense to be a raven," I righted my head.

_How do you know that?_

She shrugged, "Spend a lot of time around birds and you learn to notice things," I eyed her beadily and she eyed me back.

_So, what's with you and Elena? _ She winced,

"You noticed that huh? Well…given how you're smitten by the girl I'm pretty sure you won't believe me," I pecked at her arm making her jolt, "Ow!"

_I am not_ smitten_ by her, it is true that I _was _attracted to her at one point but that was it and nothing more! _

She absently rubbed at the spot I had attacked, "Alright, it's nothing major she just doesn't like me,"

_Is that it?_

"With a girl like her that's enough,"

_Why, what did you do to her?_

"Nothing!" She stretched the word into two syllables and her expression was one of annoyance as if this were exactly what she was expecting, "I don't know maybe she feels threatened or something! It all started when she caught us kissing! Or should I say when you were kissing me despite my protests,"

_Oh calm down you know you loved it._

She just glared at me, "Just watch her next time and look out for the subtle '_I'll kill you later' _hints," I watched as she started to sniff the air, "What's that?" As a crow/raven my sense of smell was next to nothing so I could only listen out, and there was nothing to hear.

As she got to her feet I flew up and landed on her head keeping a sharp eye out for movement, we both jumped at the sound of the doorbell and looked toward the front door,

"Expecting someone?"

_Are you kidding me? _I pecked at her head and she ducked slightly,

"Ow! What'd I do?"

_Just answer the door would you! _

"Jeez," She muttered under her breath and cautiously made her way to the door, nothing could have prepared us mentally or otherwise for who we were about to meet…

Jade's view

I pulled open the door and although I had never met her before in my life I knew immediately who it was; standing in front of me was a girl who couldn't have been older than fifteen at most. Her outfit was completely black; black laced shoes, black skinny jeans and a simple black hoodie.

The hood was positioned so that it covered her face only allowing a pair of cold blue eyes to look out, they were like twin whirl-pools sucking me in, drowning me. She stood with her hands hidden in the front pocket of her jumper and with most of her weight on her right foot,

"Found you," Her voice had a posh English accent to it with a soft undertone that suggested trouble, before I could react, Damon sliced through the air, his beak aiming right between those eyes of hers. Her right hand shot out and grabbed his neck then pulled him to the side making sure that I could see as she proceeded to choke him, "Be a dear and invite me in,"

_Don't you dare Jade! _

"Jade," I looked up into her frightening gaze, "Don't risk what you can't bear to lose," I only hesitated a moment before nodding my head slightly and stepping to the side. She stepped through the door way bringing a cold wind of despair with her and thrust Damon into my hands, "There's a good girl," And continued into the main room, I found it difficult to keep Damon from going at her again, "Nice place you've got here," With her back to me I could make out a tuft of blonde hair poking out the back of her hoodie, like the end of a very long plait.

Damon changed into his human form and positioned himself in front of me just as she turned back to face us, _her _face was still strategically hidden from view, "Alyson," He stated bluntly, I could hear the smile in her voice,

"Good, you know me, that'll make this easier," Damon tensed ready to fight if need be but she hardly noticed, her entire attention focused on me, "It's good to meet you Jade, I've heard a lot about you," For a reason that I can't quite explain my fear evaporated and I pushed Damon roughly to the side, took three big steps, and stood before her, she was rather tall so I didn't tower over her quite as much as I would've liked,

"I've heard a lot about you too, though I can't really say that I feel the same, to be perfectly honest I'd rather that you weren't here,"

"I know, it's a pity, I wanted to do it the old fashioned way, you know, kill him, kidnap you, but Klaus believes that it will be more fun this way and I do like to have a bit of fun," Damon was at my side in a heart-beat,

"If you dare touch her I'll-,"

"You'll what? If you haven't already noticed I'm older than you which makes me both stronger _and _faster," The next thing I knew she had her elongated nails digging into Damon's neck, he groaned and grasped her wrist, "You want to do something? Why don't you and your little brother's friends stay out of my plans or I _will _be coming after them," She threw him to the floor as if he weren't worth the dust on her shoes, then she turned back to me,

"Where was I?" I gulped loudly, suddenly not feeling so brave,

"I believe you were explaining why you were here," She snapped her bloody fingers,

"Ah yes, I'm here to tell you that within the next week I'll be coming for you. It could be at any time, day or night, but you will be coming with me so you best keep your eyes open," Just as she was leaving Damon called out,

"Wait!" She slowly turned back, "Why tell us that? Don't you know never to leak the evil plan?"

"Oh Damon, it wouldn't be fun that way," She waved to us, "See you later," winking at me she made her exit.

Damon heaved himself up and slowly stumbled over to me, I looked at his already healing wounds and pulled his head down to mine, "Oops," Then I gently kissed the side of his neck.

_Author's Note(again): Please review this story or Damon and Jade will not be happy._


	12. Fight or Flight?

_Damon walks into the room as I'm typing:_

_Damon: What's this I've been hearing about a lack of reviews?_

_Me: Uh, who told you that?_

_Damon: You haven't answered the question yet. (Crossing his arms over his chest)_

_Me: Fine! (Sighing) I _think _people have been reading about you and Jade but only a few are reviewing._

_Jade drifts in through the open door way:_

_Jade: What? Why not?_

_Damon: Calm down-_

_Jade: Calm down? Just let me at them! I'll set them straight! _

_Me: Look, I'm sure they'll review soon just give them a bit of time._

_Damon: How about this; I promise that whom-ever so does review this story shall receive a kiss from me._

_Me: You're so full of yourself, I bet no-one reviews, you're not that good looking._

_Damon: I take you up on that bet, the loser has to do whatever the other says._

_Me: Wait-What?_

_Damon: You heard me and there's no backing out._

_Me: Why do I get the feeling that this could end very badly for me?_

Chapter 12

**Jade's view**

For the next few days I was kept within the house and not allowed out of sight. Either Damon or Stefan would babysit me until their shift was over, for seventy-two hours I suffered the same routine and as a result was starting to go just a little bit crazy.

"Da-mon! Take me out, please!" I had been pleading for hours now, I couldn't stand these walls for much longer, we were in his bedroom and I was sat on the edge of his bed while he rifled about in his wardrobe for a shirt he had lost,

"Would you shut up for one minute?" I shook my head,

"I told you that I would whinge and moan until you gave in, have you given in yet?" He closed the wardrobe and started to search his drawers,

"No," His voice was a snarl; I could tell I was getting to him,

"Then I won't shut up," He made a noise resembling that of a tired old man, "Come on! Just drive me somewhere! Anywhere! A bar, a restaurant, your favourite strip club, I don't care! Just get me out of this boring, dinghy hole!" Finding the drawers a disappointment in his quest he began scouring the room for clues to the whereabouts of his missing shirt,

"Jade I need to keep you safe and I can't do that while we mingle with the crowd," He got to his knees and felt around underneath the bed,

"Who says we need to mingle? I just want to feel fresh air on my face again…I know!" I shifted onto my belly and let my head hang upside down next to Damon's, "We don't even need to see the crowd, let's go for a drive!" His head came up in a smirk,

"Nice try," I held onto the bed to stop myself from falling,

"Please Damon," I put on my cutest face making my eyes wide and batting my eyelashes. For a moment I thought he was going to refuse but then I saw him falter and he closed his eyes in frustration,

"Fine," He said in a defeated tone,

"Yay! Thank you!" I rolled onto the floor, placed a hand on either side of his head, and planted an enthusiastic kiss on his forehead,

"Get off me you lunatic," but he said it playfully as he shoved me away. I scrambled to my feet to grab a jacket, just as I reached the door way I turned back,

"By the way, check under the pillow," He did and held the clothing in his hand,

"Jade, what is this doing under my pillow?" I shiftily looked from side to side,

"I don't know," He blurred in front of me,

"Jade," He pulled the shirt over his head and fixed me with a suspicious glare,

"I might have, you know, hidden it?" My explanation came out as a question and for a moment we didn't move, in my case I didn't even breathe under his heart stopping gaze, well, if my heart had still been beating that is. Suddenly he made a grab for me and I was in his arms,

"That was very naughty, you shouldn't hide things from me Jade," His voice was dark and silky and I found myself wanting to kiss him, but instead I started to struggle, giggling madly,

"Okay I'm sorry! Now let me go!" He shook his head and grinned evilly,

"Oh no, you don't get off that easy," He swooped me up into his arms so that my feet no longer touched the ground and started to walk to God knows where,

"Damon! I'm sorry! I won't ever touch your stuff again!" I couldn't believe it when he proceeded to stretch his arms over the edge of the banister, _with me in them! _"Damon? If I've offended you in some way then please accept my apologies," He chuckled darkly and I gripped his shirt,

"Too late for that Jade," I glanced down, it was quite a ways to the ground floor, "Now let go of my shirt," He said it slowly as if talking to a small child,

"No way, if I'm going down I'm dragging you with me," He laughed and I wondered if he'd momentarily gone insane, "I'm so glad that one of us is finding this funny," My voice dripped with sarcasm and a seriousness fell on him,

"Do you trust me?" I looked over the edge reminding myself that the guy who was asking me to trust him was presently holding me over the banister,

"Er…no," I re-focused my attention onto Damon and found myself caught in his gaze like a butterfly caught in an intricate web, an eternity of darkness swallowing the light, a promise,

"Jade," Without taking my eyes away from his, I slowly released my hold on him, when the only thing keeping me up were his arms he smiled a genuine smile and dropped me.

The oncoming scream caught in my throat as I plummeted through the air, the thought that I was a vampire and so should have been able to land cat-like on all fours didn't even cross my mind and the feeling of having no control combined with the weightlessness of the fall was euphoric.

I closed my eyes and suddenly it was over, I hadn't hit the ground and become some oversized pancake, I was in fact back in Damon's arms, but I only had a second to note it down before I was whisked outside and into the car and then he was in the driver's seat.

"Buckle up," He instructed me and I did, then he stomped his foot down on the pedal and we were away. Five minutes later I sighed, the silence was getting to me, "Bored are we?" He patronized me, I rolled my head in his direction,

"Believe me, there is no way this could get any more boring than it was back there," I emphasized my meaning by pointing my thumb over my shoulder towards the boarding house, then I looked out the window and watched as the world went by in a blur of browns, greens and the occasional blue of the sky.

I began to play with my hair pulling my fingers through its silkiness and twirling the strands around my little finger, without realising it I slipped into a world of my own, a world where Alyson's plans lay bare for me to see, except there were blank spaces and question marks. I was jolted awake by the sound of Damon's voice,

"Wake up sleeping beauty," His door slammed shut and almost instantly mine was opened, I took off my seat belt and stepped out, Damon moved back and I shut the door behind me. He took my hand intertwining his fingers with mine and I frowned slightly as he questioned, "Having fun yet?" He waggled his eyebrows at me and I studied him,

"What are you up to?"

He looked from side to side before whispering dramatically by putting his hand up to his face, "We're on a date,"

I moved back and bumped into the side of the car, "What?"

He stood up straight and rolled his eyes, "Oh don't be so dramatic."

I pulled my hand away from his but this only succeeded in bringing him closer to me, "But why?"

He put his other hand on my shoulder and gave me a lopsided smile, "Because _you _dragged me out here so _I _get to choose what we're going to do and I've decided on a date." I pouted knowing that he had beaten me with his logic, he pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, "Have I told you that you look really cute when you do that,"

I was surprised to find that his comment had me glowing inside but instead of showing him the affect he had on me I sighed, "Let's get this over with,"

He pulled me up and away from the car, "Don't get too excited."

I gave him a side-long glance, "Ha ha," I replied sarcastically and was rewarded with a 250 kilowatt smile as he dragged me toward the forest that he had parked outside of. I caught up with him so that we were walking side by side into a rather dense area of woodland, "Damon, I've gotta ask, what kind of date is this?"

We stopped and he stepped in front of me, "A useful one, think of it more as a training session in your combat skills," His face was deadly serious as he spoke, "If Alyson and her cronies are coming after you than you're going to need to fight," His hands lightly grasped my wrists as I replied,

"But I know how to fight, you saw me with Katherine, what makes you think I need training?"

He raised an eyebrow, "What makes you think you don't?"

I blinked and felt a gust of wind, he had gone. I fell into a natural fighting stance; feet shoulder-length apart, legs slightly bent knees soft and hands up ready to defend myself. I turned at the sound of a solitary leaf blowing in the wind, "Uh oh," I breathed; I heard an almost ghostly chuckle and spun on my heel.

"You won't hear them," His voice was coming from the South so I twisted on the spot to face that direction, "You won't see them," Now he sounded from the North and I spun round, "You might not even smell them, but when they want you to know that they're there," I looked up just in time to see him leap down and pin me to the ground, "You'll be sure to know about it."

I struggled beneath him, "Get off me you great lug!"

He smirked and got to his feet pulling me with him, almost immediately I pushed him into the nearest tree, snapped off a branch beside his left ear and rested the splintered end against the soft flesh at the base of his neck, all in the space of a second.

His eyes widened in surprise and I grinned, bearing my perfectly white teeth in victory, "And when their back is turned I shall plunge a very sharp stick into their hearts with glee," I threw my improvised stake into the darkness and clapped my hands together, "Piece of cake."

The next thing I knew Damon had projected me into the air which resulted in me landing on my back, on impulse I rolled backwards narrowly missing another branch aimed at my stomach which embedded itself in the hard earth. I flicked my hair out of my face and stood on all fours, my attention taken up by the stake in front of me, I glanced up into his face and swallowed, my mouth had suddenly become rather dry, "You wouldn't."

His face was scarily blank as he pulled his weapon out of the ground with ease, "If it will help you to understand that I am being serious then I will," He stepped toward me and I knew that I had only two choices, as if he had read my mind he asked the question, "So, which will it be? Fight or flight?"

Before I could fully comprehend what I had decided I lunged at him wrapping one arm around his waist and grabbing the stake with the other, bringing him down to the ground I twisted the branch so that his grip loosened, I yanked it away from him and brought it down into the soil beside his head, we stayed like that for a while breathing heavily, "I think I can take care of myself if the need for it should so arise."

I hopped to my feet, brushed myself down and offered my hand which after some hesitancy he took, he picked out a leaf and let it float to the ground, I glanced in the direction of the car, "Come on, I need a drink."

Damon smiled, "Couldn't have put it better myself."

_Due to a previous review of mine from Naama I would like notify you all; If all readers could please remember that this story is _fictional _and that any beliefs are purely that of the _characters. 

_With that in mind it is now time to press that button and review!_


	13. Don't expect any Tears

Chapter 13

**Damon's view**

I had driven Jade back the way we came so as to stop off at the Grill, I now lounged on the bar stool as if it were as comfortable as any armchair and sucked on a frosty beer peering at Jade while leaning over the polished counter, I told myself that I was keeping an eye on her but even I didn't buy that lie.

Her hair fell over her shoulders in waves and glistened in the lamp light, when she moved the light caught it and made it flicker like fire, she (like me) was also slumped over the bar as she waited for her drink to arrive. She impatiently swept the side of her hair that was closest to me behind her ear and propped her head up with her elbow, ten seconds later the barman, a large, bulky man with dark skin and a shaved head, handed over her drink and she smiled politely at him before taking a long swig of ice cold coke.

I pointed my half-empty beer bottle at her grabbing her attention before asking, "So how did you get here anyway?"

Jade swivelled her seat a full 180 degrees before ultimately ending up with her body facing me and her coke resting on her right knee, "How'd you mean?"

Her eyes held nothing but child-like curiosity as I answered, "Here, how did you get here?" I tapped my finger on the wooden surface.

She looked at me as if I were stupid, "You drove me here remember?"

I pulled my hand over my face so that I was cupping my chin, "No, how did you get to Mystic Falls? Who created you?" Honestly, I felt like I was talking to Lassie.

She raised her head in understanding and then moistened her lips before simply stating, "I don't know."

I let my head drop to the bar with a heavy bang, "I don't know why I try." I stayed like that for several seconds and then turned my head so that it was lying on its side to be greeted by one of Jade's infectious grins, I raised my head, "What are you smiling at Onyx."

I had phrased it more as a threat than a question, a warning that I was liable to retaliate, for some reason I was more touchy and irritable tonight than usual. She downed the other half of her drink and set it down on the side for the barman to clean up. She nodded at him as he took her glass away, "Thanks Roy."

I poked her, "Uh, how do you know him? You haven't been to the Grill before."

She leaned in conspiringly, "Name tag," My eyes flicked over to the man's shirt long enough to agree that the barman was indeed wearing a plain white name tag that said 'Roy' on it, and then focused back on Jade. We were so close now that we were practically sharing each other's breath as she spoke, "It's fun to annoy you."

I blinked, "Why?"

Her misty eyes penetrated mine as she replied, "I've noticed that not many people can annoy you, or if they do then you tend to cover it up. I like how you show it when I get on your nerves, it's more interesting than the usual 'cool boy' attitude you like to hide behind."

She started to lean back but I wrapped my hands around hers stopping her in mid-motion, "The only reason you annoy me is because you always seem to know what buttons to press, and the only reason I show it is because I've never felt as comfortable with anyone as I have with you." I suddenly realised what I was saying, the words had poured from my mouth like an unstoppable torrent of white frothing water before I could think about them, what was happening to me? What was _she _doing to me? I wasn't some sissy; I didn't talk about my _feelings. _I was Damon Salvatore, a vampire, a cold-blooded killer for Christ's sake! And no _girl, _even an un-dead one, was going to change that.

My cheeks burned as I threw her hands away from me in disgust and made to leave but was stopped by the sound of her childishly inquisitive voice, "Damon? What I do?"

I whipped around and towered over her, she was standing too now, her body close but not touching as she fixed me with a soul-searching stare, "Everything," I got right into her face, I knew I shouldn't have but I couldn't help it, she brought out all these emotions in me, ones that I wasn't prepared to deal with, "You expect us to feel sorry for you, what with your little sob story about the bullying and your mother's suicide but I ain't crying. Sure Stefan and Elena may feel sorry for you but not me, so don't expect any tears." Then I marched out of the building and into the night.

I made it half-way to the car, completely intending to let Jade make her own way home, when she appeared in front of me forcing me to halt in my tracks, "What now?" I snapped, I knew I shouldn't be mad at her, now that I actually thought about it she hadn't done anything wrong, it was all me. But it was easier to take it out on someone else rather than on myself, and she just happened to be standing in my way.

She stood rooted to the spot, her hair was blown by the wind into a sort of halo that shone in the moonlight making me feel slightly intimidated, but only slightly, "Why are you running away from me?"

She was so blunt it had me reeling because that was exactly what I was doing, the control she unwittingly held over me scared me to my very core, and if I stayed here she was going to change me, my mind rebelled against the idea immediately which had me running, "I'm not running away, I'm trying to get away. There's a difference." I stepped to the side but she moved with me blocking my path, I clenched my fists and spoke through gritted teeth, "Jade I'm warning you, tonight is not the night to test my patience."

Every word came out slow and enunciated, Jade merely shrugged, "I'm not trying to, what I am doing is stopping you from driving off and leaving me stranded here."

"You're a big girl, I'm sure you can get home by yourself." I attempted to side-step past her but she thwarted my plans once again making me growl involuntarily. Her eyes widened at the unexpected sound and I narrowed mine in response while giving her a bitter smile, "Move."

She ignored my command and raised her hand, maybe to stop me or maybe to push back a strand of hair, but I'll never know because my reflexes kicked in and I made a grab for her wrist and grasped it tightly. She pulled back in response and after a moment's hesitation twisted her arm in a few different ways, testing out the boundaries, I didn't let go. She opened her mouth but was interrupted by an unknown voice,

"Excuse me miss but is everything alright?"

A man, who was obviously used to using his brawn rather than his brain, was standing next to Jade in a way that showed he was interested. Jade gave him a cursory glance but otherwise paid him no heed as I answered for her, "We're fine."

He turned to me placing himself next to her, big mistake, "Back off mate, I wasn't talking to you." His warning was friendly but threatening none the less as he returned his attention to the younger vampire, "Is he bothering you miss?"

I snapped, "Hey!" I pulled Jade away from the creep so that she was now standing next to me, "I said we're fine, now do yourself a favour and get out of here before you lose a limb."

The way he was looking her up and down made me want to put him through the worst pain imaginable, she didn't deserve to be looked at in that way, and I wasn't going to let him. The man crossed his arms confidently, "I'd like to see you try mate."

I cocked my head to the left and grinned, "Alright then."

I raced over to him at break-neck speed and wrenched at his arm, or at least those were my intentions. Instead Jade managed to get in the way and there was a terrible moment of clarity as I held her arm in my hand, unable to stop what I was already intent on doing, I pulled, hard.

I felt the sickening 'pop' before I heard it, to a human with my strength the limb would have torn clean off, but thanks to Jade also being a vampire her arm was only dislocated. For a second there was complete silence, and then all hell broke loose.

The man scarpered into the darkness yelling at the top of his lungs, I couldn't have cared less if I'd tried, I'd hurt Jade. I couldn't believe it, how could I have hurt _Jade?_ Silent tears filled her eyelashes and fell down her pale cheeks, I felt my eyes brimming over themselves, "Jade? Jade! I'm sorry, please, say something!"

She raised her head to look me in the eye and mouthed the word, "Ow."

I started to panic, her right arm was hanging lifelessly by her side, tears were dropping to the ground turning the dark blue concrete an even darker shade of blue, and I was the culprit. I had put her in this pain, just the thought of it made me want to kill myself, "Jade? I…I'm going to take you to Mrs Flowers, She'll help, I promise." She averted her gaze to her feet and nodded as I gently took her good hand and led her to the car.

I opened the door for her, sat her down, and fastened her seatbelt, before getting in the driver's seat and starting the engine. As soon as we were on the road I started apologising all over again, "Jade I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, I swear-,"

"Damon," Even through the tears her voice was strong and I couldn't help but glance at her for a second.

"Why did you do it Jade? That was meant for him not you."

She winced as we sped over a bump, "I didn't think he was worth it, he was just a guy off the streets, if you had hurt him then the police would have been on the alert and we don't need that." My cheek felt wet, "Please don't cry," I blinked away the salty water in my eyes, "And keep your eyes on the road, I've been through enough without having you crash the car."

I gave a choked off laugh as I turned the corner into the boarding house, Stefan was out the door before I had parked, Elena wasn't far behind. By the time they had reached the vehicle I already had Jade out and was supporting her, or I would have except she pushed me away rather forcefully and would only let me go as far as to hold her hand, I tried not to take it too personally.

I noticed that Stefan didn't look at all happy, "Where the hell have you been? I've been trying to call you ever since we got here! What were you thinking taking her out of the house?" His anger quickly turned into horror as he took in the condition of Jade's arm, "What happened? Damon what did you do?"

I put a protective arm around Jade's shoulders and was surprised when she didn't object, "Brother, I would just love to sit and chat, but in case you hadn't noticed, Jade here needs treatment. If you really want to help then kindly point me in the direction of the witch."

Elena placed a hand on Stefan's shoulder, "I'm sorry Damon but I'm not sure how much help Bonnie will be."

Was it my imagination or did Elena just look at Jade with something like…triumph?

"Thank you for your input Elena but I was talking about Mrs Flowers."

"Did someone call?"

An elderly lady ambled up the pathway towards us, she was wearing a lavender shawl and held a cane. Her name was Mrs Flowers and she was the owner of the boarding house. If I was correct, she and Jade had met on one other occasion when Mrs Flowers had caught Jade smelling her rose patch and had so proceeded to lecture her on the proper method of growing roses and other such plants.

Jade lit up at the chance to leave the battlefield, "Hello Mrs Flowers."

The elder woman smiled warmly, "Hello Jade dear, so nice to see you again, but what have you done to yourself?" She tutted to herself as she inspected Jade's arm, "You have got into a bit of a state since I last saw you, come on inside and we'll get you fixed up in no time." I let the old lady take Jade's good hand and lead her inside.

I was about to follow when Stefan held me back, "Damon, what was going through your mind? Why would you take her out? And without telling me-,"

"First of all she was under my watch so it was none of your business where we went or what we did and second of all it was her idea, so I will not be blamed for this." I pulled my arm away violently and followed in pursuit of the two women.

_Author's Note: This particular chapter was written on holiday in Center Parcs, I practically made myself cry when I wrote it, so please let me know what you think._


	14. I'll kill you later'

Chapter 14

**Damon's view**

I followed the two of them into the kitchen, Mrs Flowers was bustling about the room ransacking the cupboards while Jade stood cradling her injured arm as best she could. I went to stand beside her and couldn't help but hear the small, barely audible whimper that slipped through her tightly closed lips. Before I could comfort her, the old witch shambled over holding a jam jar of translucent liquid and a tea spoon, "Sorry that took so long, I just couldn't seem to find any rose oil, can you believe that? But enough jibber jabber, you must be in pain."

Jade shifted her arm slightly and winced as she replied tightly, "No, not at all, take as much time as you need."

I supressed a smile while Mrs Flowers ignored the comment, I had to admit, Jade was tough. The old woman proceeded to measure out a teaspoon of jelly-like medicine and feed it to Jade as if she were some over-grown child, "This will help with the pain."

As soon as she had swallowed the alien substance, a shiver ran through her and she began to gag, "What the hell is that?"

The witch continued to calmly put away the jam jar, "It's just a simple concoction of rose oil and water."

"It's disgusting is what it is!" She wiped her mouth on her sleeve and I couldn't help but let out a laugh.

Mrs Flowers gestured toward me, "The medicine should have had time to take affect by now so if you would be so kind as to take Jade's arm."

All hilarity evaporated, "What?"

Now it was Jade's turn to laugh as Mrs Flowers replied incredulously, "Well you can't expect a frail old lady such as myself to do it."

"Do what?" I inquired, already dreading the answer I knew was to come.

"What do you think?" She shook her head as she turned her back on us to put away the rose oil for another day, "We need a nice strong lad to push her arm back into place. Now don't look at me like that boy, I'll be here telling you what to do, all you need is to be able to follow directions accordingly and she'll be as good as new. Now do as I say and take her arm."

Obediently, which was not in my nature, I grasped Jade's arm firmly and then looked at her uncertainly, "Does that hurt?"

She shook her head, her eyes dry and seemingly content, "Nope, can't feel a thing." She grinned happily and I couldn't help but reflect her emotions.

Mrs Flowers flapped her arms and regained control of the situation, "Alright you've had your chat, now Jade dear, this is going to hurt for just a moment," Jade nodded her acknowledgement and braced herself as the old lady turned to give me my instructions, "Now, all you have to do is move her arm around until you feel it move up and then push until you here it click."

I held my breath and started to slowly move her arm in a circle, it was at this moment that Stefan and Elena decided to intrude, bringing with them an air of hostility and disapproval that had my teeth on edge. Stefan seemed to soften at the sight of Jade in her weakened state but Elena could've been the ice queen of Narnia for all the sympathy she showed.

My brother placed his hand on the shoulder that I wasn't working on under the strict gaze of the boarding house owner, I felt the beginnings of a territorial growl bubbling up in my chest, striving to break the surface, but I silenced it, allowing Stefan to ask his question, "Hey, how are you holding up?"

Jade looked away from her arm, probably glad for the distraction, "Oh, you know, dislocated arm, pain beyond measure, just another day."

Stefan laughed and I couldn't help but join along with him, even Mrs Flowers tried to stifle a giggle, the only one not to find this comment funny was Elena, in fact she even seemed to glare at her and I remembered something that Jade had said to me only a few days ago;

"_Just watch her next time and look out for the subtle _'I'll kill you later'_ hints,"_

Now I did watch her, and I noticed that she stood just a little bit further from the group than was normal, her head was tilted up so that she could look down on us, no, not us, just Jade. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her posture was rigid as if she were stopping herself from attacking Jade right there and then. I was snapped out of my mental monologue by the old witch's orders, "Careful now, you have to concentrate Damon." I pulled back and thought only of the task at hand.

Jade caught Stefan's sleeve and pulled him down so that his face was level with hers, "Pass us a glass of water would you? That rose oil has a horrible after taste."

He chuckled as he replied, "Sure thing," And grabbed a glass on his way to the sink.

Elena took a step towards us with an evil glint in her eye as she questioned, "How did you say you did that?"

I could tell that Jade had heard the trap in Elena's voice, attempting to corner her, but she only showed boredom, as if the events of the day made this little game of theirs seem like a colossal waste of time, "I didn't."

She looked on coolly, daring Elena to do anything else that might be understood as a threat, but before any more could be said, Stefan moved between the two of them holding the precious drink, completely unaware of the battle raging between the two girls, "Your order, as requested."

Jade took the glass gratefully, "Thanks Green-Eyes."

I watched as Elena bristled at the obvious ease and comfort that both Jade and Stefan shared in each other's company, I had to say I was slightly jealous myself, but I was surprised at Elena. Elena, who had never seemed over-protective of Stefan, was openly showing her discomfort at Jade and Stefan's friendship.

As I had been studying Elena I unwittingly unlocked her mind, so I was shocked when I heard her think; _You will pay Jade Onyx!_

My head flew up, "What?"

There was a loud click and water was spat out of Jade's mouth as she yelled, "OUCH!" There was a moment when no-one dared to breathe before she blinked, "Oh, actually that wasn't that bad. Thanks Damon, and you Mrs Flowers."

We all relaxed instantaneously, well, all for Elena who was still fuming at Jade being the focus of attention. Mrs Flowers smiled, "I'm just happy to be of some use around here, now, if you don't mind, I think I'll retire to bed. All this excitement is too much for an old woman like me."

Jade called out to her, "I'm sorry about the mess."

Mrs Flowers waved off her apology, "That's quite alright dear, you've been through a lot, no need to apologise."

Stefan stepped in, "Would you like me to clean it up for you?"

"Oh, if it's not too much trouble-,"

"Not at all," Stefan interrupted.

And with that the old witch nodded her thanks and shuffled away to her bedroom.

**Later that night: Jade's view**

After my arm had been put back in its place and the water had been effectively wiped away, Damon had left saying that he needed to sort something out and Stefan decided that it was probably about time that he took Elena home, which was fine by me, she was beginning to really get on my nerves with her insecurities, but this left me all on my own in a house that I didn't even live in. Not properly anyway.

First I grabbed myself a glass of blood, taking my time with it and idly wondering if Damon had found a girl to feed from, knowing Damon he'd probably finished his first meal and was looking for a second.

When I was done I got changed into a pair of pyjamas I found in one of the many drawers strewn about the house and made myself comfortable in Damon's bed. I didn't think he would mind since I couldn't see myself sleeping anywhere else, and if he did mind, then he would just have to deal with it.

I snuggled down and as the events of the day passed by the inside of my eyelids in a blur, I found myself drifting further and further away from reality…

**Damon's view**

I was flying back to the boarding house having left in search of some thinking time and some tea. The girl would be fine, I had left her slight body surrounded by her waterfall of soft chocolate hair on the park bench covered in autumn leaves, she shouldn't be disturbed at the very least until morning.

Although I was still mortified at what I had done to Jade, it helped that she didn't seem to hold any kind of grudge against me, in fact she was very understanding of the whole situation. I marvelled at her forgiving nature, but I reminded myself that she saw everything differently and probably didn't feel that I needed to be forgiven.

I landed on the window sill of my bedroom and changed into my human form so as to let myself in. I didn't expect to be greeted by the sight of none other than the immortal girl I had been thinking about only the whole night. In the moonlight her hair splayed over the pillow like molten copper yet she was curled up in a ball amongst my white sheets.

I quietly closed the window behind me and carefully pulled off my shoes and socks, when I got into the bed I wrapped my arms around her sleeping form, she shivered at the touch of my cold hands. I was about to kiss the top of her head when I heard the sound of someone stealthily moving about downstairs. I released my precious stone and tiptoed down the stairs silently as a predator.

When I made it to the bottom I stood surveying my surroundings using almost all my senses; sight, sound and smell.

I took a step forwards and at almost the exact same moment I felt someone knock me over the head with enough force to black me out for just a couple of seconds, I remember thinking that a couple of seconds was all they needed…

**Jade's view**

I had been in that state between dreams and reality when I had felt Damon's presence, I had woken up a bit when he had got in the bed and I had shivered from the night air he had brought with him, and when he had left to investigate something that only he could hear I had woken up fully.

I pulled the covers back and silently found a pair of jeans, a black short-sleeved shirt, a pair of socks and black boots which I wore over my pyjamas. Granted they belonged to Damon and weren't the best fit but only something important would drag Damon away so I had a feeling that bed wear wasn't the best.

I jumped at the sound of a thump downstairs and ran to the door, when I opened it I saw Alyson, I only had time to think two things; One was that she was wearing all black, again, and two was that Damon was hurt before I felt the needle point sink into the side of my neck and the vervain scorch the inside of my veins…

**Damon's view**

I regained consciousness quickly and sped up the stairs to my room hoping beyond hope that I wasn't too late, that I had merely bumped my head on the stairs and that I would enter that room and find Jade fast asleep and safe.

My first hint that Jade wasn't safe was the open door which I was certain I had closed behind me, the second was an empty bed with the sheets pulled back so that only half the bed was covered, and the third was a note on the pillow which had written in neat script;

I told you I would see you later, you didn't keep your eyes peeled, and now Jade will pay the price.

Alyson

Cello taped to the note was a strand of copper hair, I took the hair and put it in my right pocket, I crushed the note in my fist and thrust it into my left.

_Author's Note: Want to find out what happens to Jade? Then press that button and review!_


	15. Ignorant Bliss

_Author's Note: Hey guys!_

_I'm sorry this chapter took so long, I know you're all dyeing to find out what happens to Jade. I wanted this to be perfect so I wrote it down on paper first, which meant that it took a little longer than usual. In addition I was away for three days on a trip to Solent University._

_Hopefully it was worth it…_

Chapter 15

**Jade's view**

My body sang with agony as Alyson picked me up roughly by the scruff of my shirt and threw my limp form out the open window and into the merciless night. Waiting for me below was none other than Katherine, but standing by her side was another vampire, male and well built, who seemed thought provokingly familiar, although I couldn't think from where.

It was difficult to make head or tail of anything that was going on around me in my drugged-up state, my senses were dulled due to the unbelievable pain which kept me immobilised, and now the two vamps had caught me in mid-air and propped me up which added to the effect that I was trapped and helpless.

I watched out of my peripheral vision as the blonde assassin leapt to the ground gracefully and with skill, tonight her hair wasn't hidden but instead hung behind her like a length of golden rope for all to see. She turned on me and cupped my chin which forced my face up towards hers, digging her nails into my skin, I saw the blood reflected in her cold and un-emotional eyes but I didn't feel it. She looked at me as if inspecting a great jewel that had taken a lot of work to acquire and I looked back through half-closed lids.

My body was burning alive from the inside out, the spot on my neck where the needle had first inserted itself was the furnace as the flames consumed my insides, licking at my veins and creating a path of their own. I wanted to scream. I wanted to break away and writhe on the dewy ground in an attempt to put out the fire that I knew would be impossible to quench. But I wasn't able to move, I wasn't even able to moan, and my kidnappers knew it.

Alyson smirked, but it didn't say _amusing, but do it again and you'll be sorry, _like Damon's. Instead it quite clearly said _I win, _"Not so tough without your little boyfriend are we?" Then on a more serious note, "You thought you were safe with your little bodyguards, nothing could hurt you so long as one of the Salvatore brothers were holding your hand, well, I think we proved that little theory wrong didn't we?" Her voice was a mixture of honey and ice as she pointed out the obvious flaws in our plan, when she was done she released her dangerously numbing grip on me and casually wiped my blood on Damon's shirt. Without the support my head flopped down so that all I could see were her feet, all I could do was listen as she addressed her henchmen, "Let's get out of here, we've got what we came for."

As they dragged me further and further away from the place that I had come to think of almost as my home with Alyson in the lead, a sudden thought occurred so sharp and pronounced that it cut through the pain like a knife through very soft butter; Damon.

Where was he? What had they done to him? I had heard a thump before I was captured, what had that been? What if they'd left him with a stake sticking out of his back? The very thought had my jaw locked, I had to go back. I couldn't leave him!

An overwhelming sense of despair flooded through me, temporarily disarming the vervain in my system, I could feel my strength returning to me and my canines lengthening at the prospect of freedom, not just of these cronies, but the freedom to return to the only one I wanted to be with right now.

In one final effort I grinded my heels into the soft earth, stood erect, and pulled my arms out of their iron grips which had been relaxed in the false idea that I would go quietly. Before they could quite realise what was going on I took a fistful of hair in each hand and knocked their heads together with as much force as I could muster, it was obviously enough since the two of them fell to the floor heavily.

I stood in a daze not quite comprehending what I had just done. But this only lasted a moment because it was at this point that I felt Alyson's fist connect with my right cheek forcing me to the ground also. I laid there as she knelt down on one knee in front of me, her face levelling down with mine, "Well, well, well…I stand corrected," A grin slowly spread across her pale face showing a set of worryingly sharp teeth, "Perfect."

And then the whole world swam into darkness.

**Damon's view**

"STEFAN!" After Jade's disappearance act I had rushed out of the house without even bothering to grab a jacket, stepping into my socks and shoes had wasted enough time, and I had now arrived at my destination knowing that Stefan would undoubtedly be here; At Elena's house.

"STEFAN!" I called out for a second time as I began to pound on the door repeatedly and without mercy, "Stefan if your but isn't out here in less than five minutes then so help me I'll come in and drag your sorry ass out myself!" I yelled just in case he hadn't got the message. I felt the hinges begin to give under my wrath but they were saved by the opening of the door, in front of me stood a man in nothing but his underwear and blue nightgown which hung from his body as if it had been pulled on in a great rush. His greying hair was ruffled and there were dark rings under his sleepy eyes, despite all this he still managed to look rather peeved at being woken up at such an un-Godly hour, "Can I help you?" Although the question was innocent enough his tone suggested that he wanted me out of his sight as quickly as possible.

Gripping either side of the doorjamb, I leaned in menacingly and allowed the anger and impatience to seep into my voice, which turned dangerously quiet, "Invite me in old man, you do not want to cross me tonight."

The top step creaked loudly and an anxious voice floated down the staircase towards us, "Robert? Who is it?"

Robert twisted his head without fully looking behind him, "No-one, just go back to bed Jenna, I'll be up in a minute."

Contraire to his requests a red haired woman, who I presumed to be Jenna, came down and stood behind Robert with a look of inquiry directed at me. Her hair spiked in all directions and she was wearing a pink, see-through gown which had pink fluff that covered all the right places, while holding a small girl in her arms. The infant's thumb was stuck in her mouth and tears were drying on her cheeks from being pulled so suddenly out of what were undoubtedly cute and fluffy dreams.

The sight of this weak child had my mind filling with images which imposed themselves upon me, images of Jade, locked up and screaming. No. I corrected myself, she wouldn't scream, but she would be in pain none the less, and I knew that if I found one hair missing from her head, then I would kill Alyson…very very slowly.

My resolve wavered and my tone softened as I tried again, "I'm sorry to call so late but is Stefan in? There's an important issue that we need to discuss."

Robert moved so that his body blocked the doorway, "You'll have to come back in the morning, when we _aren't_ sleeping."

I had just made up my mind to compel him to let me in when Jenna stepped in, "Robert stop, it's too late to be messing around like this," She stepped in front of Robert and balanced the child on her hip, "You're Damon, Stefan's brother right?" I nodded my consent and she continued, "Well, you're more than welcome to come in, but I'm afraid Stefan left shortly after dropping off Elena."

That was all I needed, "Thank you very much, you've been most helpful," I presented them both with a slight bow before twisting on my heel and walking away. I was half-way down the road when I heard the door shut behind me, immediately I turned sharply to the right and rounded to the back of the house so that I was directly beneath Elena's bedroom window. Without a moment's hesitation I scaled the wall, silently pulled open the window and hopped inside, not bothering to close out the night air.

Sure enough, tangled in the bed sheets and fast asleep in each other's arms were my brother and his girlfriend, so deep in their inter-mingling thoughts that not even my ranting at the door had woken them up.

All of a sudden a pain that I had never experienced before welled up inside of me on the left side of my chest, this picture of Elena and Stefan together had me thinking about what could've happened tonight if I had just stayed with her, what should've happened. The two of us, Jade and I, should have been asleep ourselves, dreaming in each other's company, me dreaming of her and she of me. Happy and together no-matter what life threw at us.

Instead she had been taken away from me, quickly and cruelly, and I would spend all of eternity, if I had to, looking for her. I felt a single tear squeeze itself out of my right eye and down my cheek, I quickly rubbed it away in frustration as Jade's voice played in my head, _Stop that right now Salvatore! If you're going to be rescuing me then that crying business is out, understand me?_

I nodded inwardly, crossed my arms over my chest, and kicked the bed. Its residents woke with a start that was almost funny, but I didn't laugh, "Well, isn't this nice?" I asked sarcastically as a glimmer of the old Damon showed through.

Elena's eyes grew wide with shock as she clumsily tried to pull the sheet up to her neck, startled that I would turn up in her room like this, "Damon! What are you doing here?" 

I watched for a moment as Stefan helped to cover her, it looked pathetic, "Jade's gone." My voice was deadly serious and straight to the point, no need to beat about the bush.

My little brother stopped what he was doing and looked at me with cold fear, "What do you mean she's gone?"

I started to pace in front of the bed, "What do you think I mean? She's been taken, kidnapped, gone like that!" I snapped my fingers for emphasis.

Elena rolled her eyes as if I had interrupted them on the grounds of a missing animal case, "Damon, I don't know about you but Stefan and I need some sleep. We'll talk in the morning."

Just as she was about to cuddle back into her boyfriend, Stefan sped to my side with his shoes on and his clothes immaculate. Only his hair was slightly out of place as he said, "Let's go."

Elena gaped, never before had Stefan gone against her wishes, and now that he was voluntarily leaving her, it must have been like a slap in the face, she sounded aghast as she exclaimed, "Stefan! You're going to leave me here to go off gallivanting after her?"

Stefan turned back, "I have to Elena, Jade might be in trouble, she's your friend after all."

Elena crossed her arms childishly and muttered under her breath, "No she isn't."

Stefan looked at her questioningly, "She isn't?"

I sighed impatiently, "We haven't got time for this! Elena, I'm sorry, but Stefan and I are going to find Jade _now _whether you like it or not, have a nice night." And with that I leapt through the still open window and landed cat-like, silent and on all fours. I waited a few moments before I heard a barely audible 'flump' signalling that Stefan was behind me all the way.

**Jade's view**

_Ow…_

Everything ached. My head most of all, and I could taste metal, _blood_, I realised, from Alyson's punch. How could I have been so stupid? I should have just run while I had the chance, but there was no point in ticking off the things I _should've_ done, I was here now.

I was lying, face down, on a cold, hard floor, and I didn't want to move. All I wanted was to lie here in peace and to go back to sleep. That was when I heard Damon's voice in my head _Just open your eyes then. _

At first I tried but I quickly gave up, it was just too hard. It felt like there were lead weights attached to my eyelids, weighing them down, they refused to budge. _You'll get no-where like this._ He chastised me.

I moaned loudly in response and grudgingly pulled my hands up to my head so as to place them palm down on the ground. I took a second to prepare myself and then hauled my body up and into a standing position. _That's better, now find a way out of here before I drag you out myself._

I put a hand on my back and stretched backwards, hearing a click my eyes flew open, the weights were off, and began taking in my surroundings;

I was in your typical dungeon, everything around me, the floor, walls and ceiling, were made out of a kind of cave. The stone was smooth and damp so I guessed that it had been created by natural means, there was only a little light coming over from the door at the far end which had a small, barred window. The stone itself was laced with crystal making it actually rather pretty, but no matter how beautiful it was, I couldn't deny that I was a prisoner.

I took a step towards the door thinking that I would just take a peek through the bars when I was stopped by the sound of metal grinding against metal. I looked down confused but my frown smoothed out when I saw that both my wrists were manacled to the wall and by my feet were two coils of chain.

"Not exactly the best day ever is it?" I asked to no-one in particular. I remembered my fall out the window and flexed my arms and legs, testing them out for any lasting damage. Apart from the deep ache that seemed to be rooted down right into my bones, everything seemed to be fine. Nothing was broken.

I slowly brushed my gaze over the intricate stone work, "Now what do I do?"

I thought for a moment before deciding to try out my luck on the chains screwed into the wall, I wrapped my hands around the thick iron loops, ready to pull with all my strength, only to drop them instantly. The chains clamoured to the floor quickly filling the deafening silence. Air escaped from my tightly closed mouth through my front teeth emitting a hiss of pain, the chain was just as cold as the hole it had been sitting in, yet it had burned me. _Vervain!_

Damon's voice warned me. _They've soaked it in vervain! _

I shook my hands as the wounds began to heal over, "Obviously I shouldn't do that."

I glanced up to the rustle of keys, and then a 'ka-thunk' as the lock was pulled back and the door opened to reveal a boastful Katherine, her eyes shone with mischief and revenge, making me feel extremely vulnerable. Katherine grinned evilly, "Hello Jade, remember me?"

I forced myself to shake off the feeling of terror that was gradually building up inside of me, whatever happens, happens, I thought to myself, and there wasn't much I could do about it, so I might as well go down fighting all the way.

I put finger to chin and squinted as though trying to place her, "No…I'm not sure that I do...huh," I shrugged, "You obviously weren't that important."

Her smile fell from her face and was replaced by a new look as veins surrounded her now bloodshot eyes and her fangs lengthened. Before I could react she had me in an arm lock and a pencil that I hadn't seen before was impaled into my side. I gasped. Still holding her ironic weapon of choice she leaned in and whispered into my ear, "Remember me now?" Then she forced the wood in a few more inches making it hard for me to breathe, and although I refused to give her the pleasure of hearing me scream, I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold on to my silence.

Luckily, a figure blurred in, just in the nick of time, and pulled the crazed vampire away, leaving me to fall heavily to the floor. My face was contorted into a mask of pain as I silently gasped for air. Without looking I found the pencil and yanked it out of my side, just as I was about to throw the wretched thing away I realised that it could be used as a potential weapon of my own.

So instead I hastily tucked the pencil into the waistband of my jeans and pulled my shirt down to cover it, then I propped myself up onto my elbows and watched the squabble unfold before my eyes.

Katherine was pinned to the wall by the guy who I now recognised as the one who had helped out with my kidnapping. He held her up by the neck with one hand so that her feet were dangling above the ground, yet his expression was almost bored, as if he were dealing with an over-excited child, "Katherine, you know the drill, her blood can't be spilt, we need it for the ritual."

Katherine grinned teasingly and stroked his cheek, "Aw, c'mon Lousey. It was only a little bit, barely worth thinking about."

He ignored her flirty comments, "Go find something useful to do." He let her go and she landed stealthily.

Katherine glared at him mockingly, "You're no fun."

The guy shooed her away, "Out."

A gust of wind and the slamming of the door were the only things that alerted me of her departure, leaving the two of us to get acquainted. I helped myself onto my feet and crossed my arms, the wound in my side was open but healing so I ignored the nagging sting which became sharper with each movement, "So…Lousey."

The guy narrowed his eyes at me with not even a trace of amusement on his perfectly sculpted face, "Don't, call me, that." His words were spaced out and filled with warning, _don't mess with me, _the message was clear.

My hands flew up in surrender, "Okay, what _should _I call you?"

His voice was cold but he also spoke with something like interest, "Klaus."

Hands still in the air, I stepped to the side, Klaus did the same, and we began to prowl each other in a slow circle. It reminded me of the way lions tended to meet in much the same way, sizing each other up.

"Mind telling me what this ritual's about?" I asked.

Klaus smiled humourlessly and ignored my question completely, "You're strong that's for sure, Katherine made a good choice in picking you."

I waved away the comment, "Yes so I've heard. But what I really want to know is _why _you want someone so strong?"

I let my hands drop to my sides but I kept my guard up as he replied, "Believe me, in time you will know, but for now it would be best for you to sit and relax in ignorant bliss."

I scoffed at this, "It's pretty hard to relax in a cell watched by psychopathic vampires."

He seemed to think this over, "Maybe, but knowing your present situation will not help matters, it will only distress you. Now I must be going, there are errands I need to attend to before the night is out."

I glared at him as he turned to go, but just as he got to the door I felt an inexplicable urge to rip out his heart and present it to Damon as a gift, you know, when he got here. I charged at Klaus, ready to kill, and the only thing that stopped me were the brutal chains that held me, so that my body was as far as it could get with my hands straining behind me. Klaus looked me down for a second before deciding against whatever it was he had been about to say, he left the room and locked the door behind him, just as I began to mentally scream out Damon's name.


	16. Bereft

_Author's Note: So here we are again, at last, the next chapter! Woo Hoo! Again I'm sorry it took so long to develop and I think that you've waited long enough so let's just get down to reading…_

Chapter 16

**Damon's view**

The sun was just beginning to rise over the Boarding House and my little brother and I had spent the whole night searching through Mrs Flowers' books for a way to rescue Jade. After three hours solid of rummaging around countless mouldy boxes of dusty hard-backs, my brother finally decided to call it a night and took off in the direction of the kitchen, where Mrs Flowers just happened to be making a cup of tea. I carried on relentlessly.

Not _really_ knowing what I was looking for, I blindly scanned the pages, yellowed with age, for anything that could be of use; contacts, potions, but most importantly spells. By 6:30 in the morning, sitting cross-legged amongst several towers of precariously piled books, I finally found what I had been unwittingly searching for. I had raced from the room, knocking down most of the books along the way, to the kitchen in less than a heartbeat. My eyes were wild and manic with desperate hope and my hair in disarray.

Both my brother and the old witch were chatting with each other over what should be done about Jade, they fell silent at my entrance confirming my suspicions that I had also starred in their conversation. I strode over to the table unperturbed and dropped the book, three quarters of the way in, between them. They glanced at the text briefly, exchanging meaningful looks with each other, before bringing their heads up to me in unison; Stefan spoke first, "An apparition spell?"

His voice was filled with so much doubt, so much uncertainty, that I felt my own anger begin to rise in response to his obvious lack of confidence in me. I had neither slept nor fed since Jade's disappearance, making me _very_ cranky, "Yes an apparition spell!" I snapped at him, "What of it?"

Mrs Flowers answered for him, keeping her eyes fixed on the book, not daring to look me in the eye, "Well dear, it's very…ambitious."

I blinked in disbelief, I had spent all night looking for a plan, a good plan, like this one, just to have it thrown back in my face. And I couldn't help but wonder what exactly these two had done apart from 'chat', "If my plan's so 'ambitious'," I put my fingers up as air quotations, "Then let's hear a better one." My mood was darkening quickly.

To my disgust they simply looked down at their porcelain mugs in embarrassed silence, telling me all that I needed to know.

"Right," I headed towards the front door, picking up the book and grabbing my black leather jacket along the way.

My younger brother sped over so that he was standing in front of me, a look of concern taking over his features, "Where are you going?"

His worried tone of voice made me smirk, "Always the caring one aren't we my dear brother," I said with bitter sarcasm laced into the words like poison.

"I'm serious Damon-,"

"As am I little bro," I interrupted him. We stared at each other for what seemed like hours when in reality it had only been a few seconds. Without altering my gaze I gave him my answer, "To get Jade back."

I shoved him roughly to the side with my shoulder to clear the path, took three long strides, wrenched at the handle and slammed the door so hard that the whole house shook.

I stood outside and rubbed the bridge of my nose in frustration, as I did I listened to the house's occupants; Mrs Flowers slowly scraped her chair along the wooden floor-boards and shuffled over to Stefan, I could just picture her frail, withered hand, like cottage cheese I couldn't help but think, on his shoulder in an old-lady-like fashion. Her wise voice travelled to me, soft and weightless like a hoard of small, white feathers, yet sure of herself at the same time, "I wouldn't worry dear, Damon can take care of himself."

"I'm more worried about how reckless he can be, especially when it comes to the people he cares about."

Again more movement could be heard inside, and then Mrs Flowers spoke in a new voice that was slightly colder and heavier than before, like feathers made of iron, "I think it would be best if you left him, this is Damon's battle after all."

Without thinking I nodded determinedly at her words, the old bat was right, this _was_ my battle. Hadn't it been I and I alone who had found Jade in the middle of Old Wood and brought her through the final stage of becoming a vampire? Wasn't it I who had taken her to the Boarding House and forced her into everyone's lives? So didn't that make her solely my responsibility, and no-one else's? Yes, yes it did.

And now, I would find her again, only this time, there would be hell to pay.

The transition from man to crow ran smoothly, as I flew in to the pink skies, my keen eyes intent on my next destination…

~xxx~

Twenty minutes later I was standing in a small room with my back firmly against the wall. The room contained a bed, a closet, a few shelves and a vanity mirror. The carpet, wall-paper and four-poster bed were all a deep shade of green, almost velvety. _Cute, real cute. _But I sharply reminded myself that I wasn't here to admire the décor, I was here on a mission. And the crucial element to my objective had just walked through the door holding her cell phone to her ear and placing a book, which looked much like the one that I had tucked into my jacket, on the bed.

She had her back turned to me so that I was still safely out of sight, her petite figure and strawberry curls screamed out; _too weak! _

But then I remembered that it didn't matter.

Jade was in trouble, and there wasn't time to find another witch, much less one that might actually listen to me. I watched as she ended her conversation,

"Damon? But why would he come here?"

Ah, my brother was undoubtedly playing the role of the saint and was now calling to warn the innocent girl before me of my rampage. His reply was as clear as polished crystal to my sensitive ears,

"In brief? Jade's been taken," She took a sharp intake of breath at this point, "And he has a plan, at least we think he does, and if our theories are correct he'll need a witch." I smelt the sweat that covered her palms making them slick enough that she was having trouble keeping the phone to her ear, "But whatever he's up to it's bound to be risky, so please, just promise me you'll be careful."

She reached up to pull her fringe out of her eyes with shaky hands, "Of course, but we've never even met. I still don't understand why he would come to _me_."

My eyes widened a fraction, I had completely forgotten that we had never met face to face before. I had seen her while out and about so often that I felt like I had known her for weeks, but now that I thought about it, I realised that we hadn't even been properly introduced yet. I had heard of her on countless occasions and her tone of voice suggested that she had heard of me too. I wondered how _much_ she had heard… I was going to have to change whatever ideas she had of me in that pretty little head of hers.

"I can't explain right now, there are a few more calls that I need to make before I can get back to you, just keep safe okay?"

"Wait! Was Jade that girl at school? You know, who Elena hit?"

My eyes darkened and my vision took on a pinkish hue, I would have to make a mental note of that and deal with it when all this was over.

My little brother's sigh was clearly audible, like the sigh of a tired old man, "Yes, now I have to go. Stay safe."

"I will," Her voice was barely a whisper.

There was a click as the line went dead and after some hesitation, the girl before me did the same, if somewhat reluctantly. She dropped the phone next to her book as if it were diseased and then spun on her heel. Her large, brown eyes met my intimidatingly black ones, both hands flew to her mouth in fright and she froze in that position like a startled rabbit caught in the car headlights of a monster truck.

Still leaning against the wall I used my softest and most assuring voice, "Hello Bonnie, my name's Damon."

And then the inevitable happened…Bonnie screamed.

She screamed an ear-piercing, spine-tingling, bone-jolting scream that would've had the household up and running had I have not; a) Compelled her parents into inviting me in and then into a deep sleep and b) Clamped my hand down on her small mouth silencing her instantly.

My eyes bored into hers being careful not to compel her as I did it, "Whatever you've been told I am not here to hurt you, just do as I say and then I'll be gone. The first of which is not to scream when I let go, got it?"

She nodded, her eyes wide with terror, reflecting my own controlled expression. I slowly pulled my hand away and then let it fall to my side, Bonnie sat herself down on the edge of the bed, her eyes trained on me with her mouth wide open. I tapped her on the nose teasingly, "I'd close that unless you actually _want _to catch flies."

She shut her mouth obediently and I crouched down to her height as she asked me in a surprisingly steady voice, "What do you want from me?"

I pulled the sacred book out from behind me, rifled through it until I found the right page, and held it out in front of her to see, "All I want from you is your help."

She reached out and gestured for me to hand it over, I did so, and she laid the book on her lap for a closer look. All signs of terror disappeared from her face as she read the familiar, "An apparition spell," She stated matter-of-factly, "But…wait," Her gaze penetrated mine as she put together the pieces of my plan, and then the realisation hit her, the realisation that no-one else had experienced because they were already too hot-headed and fixed on their own ideas of how my mind worked that they couldn't see what was already staring them in the face, "You want to see Jade." And it was this simple fact that made my heart ache just that little bit more. It was a dull, throbbing ache that was easy to cover, but always present.

"Yes," My reply came out a little thicker then I would've liked.

Bonnie's eyes and voice were suddenly filled with so much sympathy for me that I felt more than a little uncomfortable as she continued quietly, "This spell won't tell you where she is Damon."

She seemed to regret this nugget of information, as if she'd rather not have told me and risked dragging down what hopes I might have left, but I just stood up straight, crossed my arms and nodded curtly, "Although that would've been useful, I already knew," Bonnie drew her eyebrows together in confusion so I explained, "I just need to let her know that I _am _coming for her…and to make sure that she's alright."

Bonnie put her hand over her heart looking disturbingly romanticised, "Damon, that's so sweet!"

I shot her a look which had her bending over the book again but with a secret little smile playing at the corner of her rose-pink lips. She spent the next minute studying the text, following each word with her index finger, before glancing up at me with a triumphant smile plastered on her heart-shaped face, "Damon, I think I can do it."

~xxx~

After clearing up a few details with each other and then successfully ransacking the house for candles, we were finally ready and in position. Our positions were sitting opposite each other, on the carpeted floor, cross-legged and in separate circles. Both of us surrounded by our own ring of ceremoniously lit candles.

Bonnie had the spell book laid out in front of her, calm and composed, while I couldn't help but squirm from being in such an enclosed space. I moved a little to the left.

"Stop fidgeting, you have to stay still for this to work effectively," Bonnie scolded me without even the courtesy of looking up. My head snapped up to glare at her, nobody talked to Damon Salvatore like that! I huffed childishly, since she was helping me maybe I _could _forgive her just this once. "I need to be able to lock all my magic onto you, which would be easier if you weren't a moving target."

I grumbled non-committedly and Bonnie looked up accusingly, "You could at least be co-0rporative. Now, you'll feel a bit dizzy afterwards, maybe even nauseous, but don't worry that's all to be expected. And you'll have around twenty minutes, thirty at the most as long as there are no distractions."

_Time limit? _"A time limit?" I voiced my thoughts out loud, "Why isn't that mentioned in there?" I pointed at the book suspiciously.

Bonnie began to blush furiously while trying to sort out her answer, "Uh…well…you see…it doesn't," She began talking in a panicked rush, "There's not supposed to be a limit, but this is my first time and I'm not really experienced and-,"

I put my hand up to stop her incessant blabbering, there really wasn't any time to spare, "It's fine, just let's get on with it."

She nodded, focused all her concentration on the book, and began to read. Foreign words that made no sense to me spewed from her mouth and hung in the room like static electricity making the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. It wasn't long before I started to feel light-headed.

I forced myself to keep still but this proved to be more and more difficult as the room started to spin, faster and faster, until I finally reached a point when I was sure that I was going to be sick if this insane ride of torment carried on for much longer. Then all of a sudden the spinning came to a complete halt and I was thrown into a hard and slippery wall.

I slid down, inch by inch, and crumpled to the floor as I waited for the ground to stop moving. Bonnie had been right, I felt _very _nauseous, but the spell _had_ worked, and now I had approximately half an hour to make sure that Jade was alright.

I got to my feet gingerly, and with care, holding my hands out in front of me to keep my balance. I then brushed myself down, catching only a glimpse of my astonishingly beautiful surroundings, before being tackled into the wall behind me by a figure I couldn't recognise due to the after effects of the spell.

My fist automatically grabbed at grubby hair, ready to wrench at my attacker, when a pair of soft, familiar lips, swooped down on to mine, and at first I couldn't think. My brain refused to work so in response my entire body stiffened, but as our minds touched and mingled to form one, I felt myself beginning to relax in Jade's warm embrace, making the kiss long and deep.

This was the moment I had been waiting for, the reason why I was here, so that I could finally join with my other half and feel whole again. I had realised, in the short time that we had been separated, that without Jade I was unbearably lonely, and now, as a result, I was exposing my inner-most thoughts, I was bleeding into her mind, pouring out my soul for her.

Our arms seemed to have a mind of their own as hers found their way around my neck and mine around her waist as we simply basked in each other's company, neither one of us wanting to let go.

As Jade tried to pull her mouth away from mine, I found myself following, refusing to let go. My arms tightened their hold on her, bringing her closer to me, as my kisses became scorching and desperate. She automatically kissed me back and after a few seconds finally got her way and smiled a smile so full of genuine happiness that it made my chest swell to twice its usual size. The sound of her voice was like hearing my own personal melody,

"Long time no see Salvatore," I growled quietly, deep in my throat, in response to her casual use of my last name, but she paid me no heed, and instead took my pale face in her even paler hands and started to gently trace my eyes and nose, "I miss you."

It didn't escape my notice that she used present tense. In an attempt to reassure her I took her beautiful face in _my _hands and kissed the freckle at the side of her right eye, it was unique, just like her, "Listen to me, I am going to get you out of here, I promise."

Jade stopped tracing and gave me a funny look, "Damon, I do believe you're going soft. It's not a good look for you."

The last few words she said teasingly, I arched an eyebrow and grinned sadistically before switching positions so that I had her trapped between my body and the wall, "Oh really? Maybe I should try something a bit more…demonic."

Jade squirmed playfully as I grabbed her upper arms in a firm hold and at this point in time, I forgot that we were in a dungeon, I forgot that we only had twenty minutes left with each other, and I also forgot that I would have to return to a world without Jade with still no idea as to where she was being detained.

But that was what happened when Jade was around, all the bad stuff just seemed to blow away like cobwebs in the dust.

Suddenly Jade stopped struggling and lightly touched her side making her wince. It was only a small gesture, hardly noticeable to anyone else, but I wasn't just anyone. I pulled back, not exactly sure of the problem, when my gaze fell on her side, stained red with blood.

Reality came crashing down on me like a monstrous wave, pulling me violently out of a perfect world. I moved her hand for a proper evaluation and did not like what I saw; in the side of her shirt was a bloody, ragged hole and beyond that a faint, pink scar. In other words, a healing stab wound.

I clenched my hands into fists by my sides and gritted my teeth, I knew from the way Jade was looking at me that my eyes had lost all depth and become solid darkness. The injury had been scarring over but the rapid movement had torn it fresh making it bleed.

"Who did this to you?" My voice was dangerously quiet, like the far away humming of a swarm of bees, instantly fear inspiring.

Jade averted her eyes downwards and began fiddling with the end of her shirt, my tone of voice making her _very_ uncomfortable, "Who do you think?"

"Katherine," I breathed. I started to cuss in Italian but stopped when Jade's attire finally caught my attention. I took the end of the shirt she had been fiddling with into my own hands incredulously, "Is this…_my _shirt?" I didn't give her time to answer as I checked out the rest of her wardrobe, "And are those…_my _jeans?"

Jade and I stared at each other for what must have been, at the most five seconds, before we broke off into hysterical giggles. The swift change in atmosphere from deadly serious to head-bangingly stupid was just too much for us as we fell about laughing into each other's arms.

Luckily Jade sobered up fairly quickly and was the first to remember where we were. Grabbing me by the collar, she dragged me down to her height and covered my mouth with her worryingly cold hand, straining her ears for movement. After a painfully long and tense second she relaxed, and I took the opportunity to kiss the palm of her hand, making her send me a lop-sided smile.

Then I took both her hands in mine, enveloping them in my long, experienced fingers, and brought them up to my chest. I rested my forehead against hers and delved into her silver eyes, like starlight, or twin moons, to shine through the dark universe that was my own soul where the secrets had been building up for centuries, like marooned spaceships on almost forgotten planets.

I started to feel light-headed, alerting me that time was running out. I raised my head and kissed her on the nose, no particular reason, just on impulse.

Jade's voice was thick with emotion as she whispered, "So when are you breaking me out of here?" The mimicry of her usual sarcasm failed dismally. She had caught on that I wouldn't be here for much longer.

My grip tightened as if there were some small hope that if I held on tight enough then I could take her with me, "Listen Jade, I _will_ find a way to bring you back, nothing on this Earth can stop me."

Her eyes grew moist as she quickly realised that I was saying goodbye, at least for the time being. I stroked her hair comfortingly while she replied rather wittily, "You better, because let me tell you now, if I die before you get here, I will haunt you for the rest of your existence."

I knew that she was joking with me, I could hear it in her voice, trying to lighten the mood as always, but I could also hear a note of seriousness that was impossible to ignore, "Trust me, if that happens, I'll gladly follow you to the other side."

Then before she could react I kissed her sweetly on the lips, at first she tried to resist, probably worried about what I had just said, but I was persistent, and she was soon giving in to my stubborn ways.

Even underground she tasted absolutely divine, a mixture of sweet sugar and tangy spice. It was at this moment that I was filled with warmth and something like purpose and I realised something else too. Something that needed to be said out loud before I became sick with dizziness.

I pulled back, took each of Jade's wrists in each of my hands, and looked her in the eye as best I could, "Look, there's something I need to tell you, in all seriousness," I took a second to moisten my lips, "I love you Jade, and I always will."

I suddenly felt as though I could fly, I was weightless, and the only thing keeping me tethered to this Earth was the girl in front of me. I watched as she registered this new piece of information, and as her facial expressions switched so quickly from shocked, to bewildered, to down-right happy, that I almost didn't catch it.

Her smile broadened as the realisation also hit _her _that she loved me too. It was plainly written across her beaming face, but some distant, discouraged part of me, needed to hear her say it, just once.

The room was starting to spin, there wasn't much time, Jade opened her mouth at what seemed like an agonisingly slow pace before she caught on to my sickly predicament, "Damon?" Then I was thrown from the dungeon into Bonnie's bedroom.

I looked around me, nothing was out of place, not even bonnie who had now fainted. I got up off the floor, calmly walked over to the wall and punched a fist sized hole into it, then I let out an inhuman roar that sounded so bereft and filled with so much melancholy, that I even left myself a little frightened.

_Author's Note: So that was chapter 16, I hope you enjoyed it! Longest chapter yet at 4,114 words! Woo! I am sorry it took so ridiculously long for it to be put up but I did write it down first which makes the chapters a lot longer. I was also at a friend's house for the week that I was finishing this off so that obviously didn't help with the timing. _

_This chapter was all about Jade and Damon having a 'moment' together, I thought they deserved it after all I'd put them through, and the two of them have finally realised their feelings for each other…_

_The only thing I was worried about was that I might have made it a very soppy chapter, I'm really sorry if it was, please let me know how the sappiness was, whether I should play it up a bit or keep it on the down low, or just keep going as I am. _

_Thanks again, __**and put up a review!**__ Please?_

_Kind Regards, EizaJay xx_


	17. Three Words

Chapter 17

**Jade's view**

Three words. That was all it took to change someone's entire perspective on life. Three little words and everything you do ends up with a completely different motive behind it. For instance, before these three words, I was trying to keep myself alive for the obvious reasons; not wanting to die when I still had so much to do, so much to try out, and so many people to meet. But those things didn't even come into account anymore…I was keeping myself alive for him.

The only reason I mattered anymore was purely because I mattered to him, that my presence alone could make him happy, making me happy in return.

Unfortunately, the opportunity to make him feel the same way had been cruelly snatched away from me, and now those three words were sitting on the tip of my tongue, waiting to be said out loud, but with no-one to say them to.

All this was running through my head while being dragged through the cave-like corridors by Katherine and Klaus. Two psychotic vampires who wanted my head on a platter for some reason that was beyond me, how did my life ever end up like this? Not that it was ever really normal to begin with, but I didn't think_ anyone_ could have guessed that I would eventually end up in the predicament I was in now…not even the world's strongest medium could have seen this coming.

As I looked around I quickly realised that my own cell, which I had thought to be rather large in size, didn't even compare with the amazing network of complicated tunnels that I found myself trapped within. I whistled a long, drawn out note in admiration, "_This_ is nice."

Klaus wasted no time in hushing me by clapping me over the head, "Keep quiet or you'll be sorry."

I couldn't help but reply under my breath, "Believe me, the sight of your face was enough to make me sorry for all three of us."

Both of them clapped me over the head this time, and not lightly at that, I stumbled, the two of them pulled me roughly to my feet and carried on without so much of a falter in their practised march.

Taking the hint I zipped my mouth and continued the rest of the journey in silence. With nothing else to do I admired the time and dedication it must have taken to produce such hallways of natural splendour. Everything was constructed of the same slippery, brown rock which was made even more incredible by the thousands of diamonds encrusted into its surface. If there had been any kind of light to bounce off of each tiny, individual crystal eye, then I was sure that it would've been nothing short of blindingly beautiful.

As it so happened, I was ninety-eight per cent sure that the place was run by vampires, making light a necessity that we'd never need. I also started to see how it all planned out in my mind's eye, quite simply, one long corridor with chambers branching off of it…in my dreams!

As soon as we turned a corner we were bombarded with a completely new maze of tunnels. It all ran deeper than a rabbit run in careful devoid of enemy lines. The walls were so close together that the three of us could only just walk side by side and each footstep had me inwardly flinching from the echo they produced. However, I kept my chin up and made sure not to drag my boot clad feet, even when my bare heels began to rub against the black leather (the lack of blood in my system made me more susceptible to aches and pains, and the absence of socks didn't help either).

Just as I was beginning to lose hope that there might actually be an end lurking somewhere deep within these Aladdin caves, we finally managed to run up against an ornate pair of wooden double doors, set in to the stone so subtly that it was as though Mother Nature had put them there herself. On closer inspection though, the woodwork revealed three blood-smeared words; '**Blood and Flesh**'

I took back all my previous thoughts immediately; no-way did Mother Nature have _anything _to do with this.

Klaus moved away from my side, simultaneously Katherine pulled both of my arms behind me and bent down to whisper in my ear, "Don't bother trying anything funny," she spat the last word out as if I were some despicable criminal awaiting my sentence.

Klaus pulled back his fist and knocked on the ominous doors so politely that it was almost comical. In response they opened slowly in an eerie fashion making my breath catch in my throat. Klaus turned back and helped Katherine to pull me into this brand new room; even through the unrelenting darkness I could see enough to know that Alyson was standing in the centre with a wooden chair on her one side and what appeared to be a long wooden box on the other.

With no warning at all I was thrust towards Alyson as if I were a piece of meat being thrown to a tiger, she grabbed me and quickly proceeded to tie me at the ankles and wrists to the chair with a business-like efficiency that made me very wary.

Alyson stepped back to admire her handy work while I squirmed about, testing out the bonds, but I soon realised that I wasn't going anywhere fast. Either the bonds were made of an extremely strong material or my time in the chains had seriously weakened me, something told me it was probably a mixture of the two.

Alyson snickered at my pathetic attempts, Katherine and Klaus tried to join in but were silenced almost instantly when their leader shot them both a poisonous look, as her back was turned to me I caught Katherine's eye and stuck my tongue out at her childishly. When her eyes widened in both shock and anger I waggled my eyebrows in a last ditch attempt to push her over the edge. It worked, and I took a temporary satisfaction in watching the steam shoot from her ears and the vein pulsate across her forehead.

Before anything could be done about it Alyson had turned back to me with malice clear in her voice, "So Jade…what now?" I watched her through half-closed lids as she started to circle me like a shark, "I mean with the Salvatores out of the way…" She glanced at me from the corner of her eye, gouging out my reaction, before continuing with her obviously practised speech, "And no-one else that would even attempt to rescue you…not even your own Father…"

The last bit seemed to have been tacked on as an after-thought, but even I could see through her terrible act, it was all a plan. A plan to dig up those angry, hurt emotions deep inside. What for I didn't know, but if there was anything I had a particular talent for, it was sabotaging a well drafted plan. How did I know this?

Well it was mostly down to the words she used, they flowed too easily, as if she were reciting a well-rehearsed poem instead of stating the facts. No doubt she had chosen her words carefully and thought them through. And I couldn't help but wonder what Damon might do in this situation, it didn't take much to figure out that he would probably go for a sarcastic comment or two.

With this in mind I decided on a course of action, and even though my body was beginning to weaken from not having fed in almost twenty four hours, I forced my back into the chair so that I was in a sitting position. Ignoring the pleading protests that persistently nagged at my side, I managed to lounge contentedly.

Pretending that I wasn't here against my will, I realised, made things a lot easier, "I've spent thirteen years without a Father, what makes you think that just because my life is now technically in mortal danger that it changes anything?"

I think we were all surprised at how nonchalant I sounded but I just arched one eyebrow at Alyson and waited patiently for her reply, I was genuinely interested in how she would react. Unfortunately for me, the centuries old, blood thirsty vampire in front of me, didn't take kindly to my cool attitude.

For a second the skin around her lips and eyes became taut in barely contained anger, but only for a second, then she broke into a Cheshire-cat smile that looked like it might crack her face in half, "Of course, how could I forget?" She looked up as if addressing an audience, "Jade doesn't get scared. In fact Jade laughs in the face of danger. Isn't that right Jade?"

I wondered if maybe under all that calculating bravado of hers, she was just mad, mad from watching the world grow old and the people die around her. Was this my future? Were all vampires destined to break down eventually?

Before I could formulate an answer, I felt my hair being pulled back so that my head was strained over the back of the seat, exposing my neck, to three vampires who knew how to hold a grudge.

Alyson leaned in so that her face took up almost all of my vision, out of the corner of my eye I could just make out two figures slowly closing the distance so that I would result in being surrounded. I had never felt more vulnerable in my life as Alyson spat in my ear, "Well Jade, let us teach you what it's like to be _really_ frightened."

I watched in barely contained horror as her canines grew into a pair of huge fangs that hardly fit in her mouth. I knew what was coming, but what was worse was that I also knew there was no way to stop it, so I sent out a silent prayer for Damon's return. I had no idea what I was doing here, but as Alyson tore into my throat I could see that there wasn't much chance of my survival…

**Damon's view**

After checking the house to make sure there were no intruders and that Bonnie's family members were still fast asleep, I strode back into her room and looked down at her slight, unconscious form. The look of innocence on her face left a bitter taste in the back of my mouth, anything that had even the remotest similarity to Jade made the anger burning inside me just that little bit hotter.

I nudged her with the end of my foot but she hardly made a sound. I rolled my eyes, "Bonnie," I said it quietly and when she didn't respond I said it again but louder, "Bonnie." Still no answer.

Sighing loudly I picked her up by her forearms and plonked her down on the bed, her eyelids fluttered slightly but remained stubbornly closed.

Starting to become frustrated I shook her by the shoulders, "Come on Bonnie, wake up!" I threw her lifeless body back on the bed and ran a hand through my hair, trying to think up a solution.

Not knowing what else to do I picked her up and sat down cross legged, dragging her onto my lap. I leaned back against the edge of the bed so that her head ended up resting on my chest. Then I gently pressed my fingers to her temples and closed my eyes, almost immediately I was granted access into her head. I was no longer in Bonnie's bedroom but instead I was standing in what appeared to be some sort of cave-like room. In fact it wasn't all that different to Jade's cell, it was damp and the diamond walls sparkled even in the dark.

I knew it wasn't Jade's cell…for one thing it was far too big. The roof was no-where to be seen and imbedded into the far wall was a pair of wooden double doors.

But what took up my attention was the figure strapped to the chair in the middle of the room. Her head was draped over the back at a sickening angle and although there wasn't a scratch on her, her neck and shirt was soaked in fresh blood.

I knew it was Jade, her scent was everywhere, it filled the room making me choke. I didn't want to believe it. My throat had closed up so I couldn't even call out her name, all I could do was tentatively creep up to her motionless form and pray that she was alright.

But just as I reached her I noticed the tiny movement of her chest rising with each shallow breath. I let out my own breath in a whoosh, she was alive, I could still save her. As I looked up I noticed Bonnie stood on Jade's other side watching me intently, I stepped a little closer, "What do you think we should do?"

Bonnie looked at Jade and then back at me as if she were in a slight trance, "I've had this kind of vision before, there's nothing we can do but watch and wait for it to be over."

As much as I hated hearing this the young witch was right, we were in Bonnie's head still, meaning that we couldn't do anything or interfere with what was going on.

I tried to brush some of the stray hairs out of Jade's face but my hand simply passed through her as if I were a ghost. A sound alerted me and my head whipped up to see Alyson, Katherine and Klaus coming through the double doors. I bared my teeth at the sight, their mouths were stained with Jade's blood and yet they walked in as if they were just entering a run-of-the-mill interview, my gut twisted.

Alyson wasted no time, "Where is it?" Before a reply could be given Klaus blurred over to Jade and roughly pulled her head up by its hair so that she was now looking directly at Alyson. A growl erupted from the back of my throat but of course no-one but Bonnie and I could hear this. Alyson was now standing over her menacingly, her fingers drumming against her hips.

Still disoriented Jade tried to figure out what was being asked of her, "Where's what?"

She was promptly rewarded with a slap that resonated around the room like the crack of a whip, "You know damn well what! Where's the bloodstone?"

**Jade's view**

Alyson eyed me, waiting for my reply, but I was more interested in this sudden feeling of not being alone. It wasn't dissimilar to that time in the woods when Damon had first found me, except this time I was trapped, hurt, and more than a little confused.

The feeling was completely illogical, it was evident that no-one else was here, and yet, I couldn't shake the sense that someone was listening in on the conversation, someone who probably shouldn't have been.

I pushed my un-easy thoughts to the back of my head where they could be dealt with later; now was not the time to delve into my newly acquired and un-explained 'sixth sense'.

My head was starting to pound from where Klaus was still pulling at my hair, keeping my head up although I was pretty sure that given the chance I could have kept myself upright without much problem.

To see Alyson I had to look down forming my eyes into slits as I asked rather boldly, "What, may I ask, is a Blood-stone?" I thought I heard someone chuckle beside me but I ignored it.

Katherine glanced my way and I assumed that she and Klaus were sharing a look while Alyson sized me up, did she really find me _that _threatening? Her eyes shot up to Klaus, relaying what was either a telepathic message or practiced procedure for just a second, then I felt my head being thrown forward. Klaus was no longer behind me. He had taken up his original position next to Katherine.

I shook my head, although this only succeeded in making the pounding in my ears louder, and looked Alyson right in the eye (if she was going to kill me, I wanted her to know that it would be the hardest task she was ever going to tackle).

Alyson, of course, did not respond kindly to this and immediately tried to intimidate me by covering my hands with hers so that her nails were digging into my skin and crouching down to my height with a menacing smile plastered on her stunningly beautiful features. It didn't work.

Well, kind of but I wasn't about to let my potential murderer know that.

Her voice was filled with hostility as she spoke, "_The _Blood-Stone is an ancient artefact, one that can only be used and enchanted by an extremely powerful witch for the purposes of a vampire."

I nodded my head and immediately regretted it, "Ah, hence the name 'Blood-Stone'."

Alyson gritted her teeth but soon regained her composure, "I'd keep that smart-ass tongue inside that head of yours if I were you. Who knows, someone might accidently lose their temper." She waited for me to snap back with a snarky comment but I decided to use my brain instead and kept my mouth shut.

Alyson smirked and continued as if nothing had happened, "Thousands of years ago, back when I was young, I was given a gift by my brother: Judas. It was a blood-red ruby, the prettiest thing I have ever laid my eyes on to this day, and it was only small yet incredibly powerful. Unfortunately my useless brother got himself killed before he could tell me how to use it, or what I was supposed to use it for. So I did a little digging. Luckily I had a pass into the inside circle, all those so-called saints? Couldn't be further from the truth.

"Oh sure they _tried _to do the right thing, help mankind, unite the world by making them believe in a higher being-compulsion and all that-but their cravings were just too out of control, and that's where the big guy comes in."

I shook my head, unsure of the information I was receiving all at once, "Wait, back up a second, are we talking about Jesus here? His disciples were _vampires? _Why were they compelling everyone? And if you're originally from Israel then why do you have a British accent?"

The corner of Alyson's thin, unforgiving mouth twitched up in amusement as she began to answer, "Of course we're talking about Jesus, I thought you would have figured that out by now, and it doesn't take much to work out that those so-called saints were nothing less than blood-sucking monsters. As for _why _they were compelling everyone, well, I'm not exactly sure myself, it was never really my business, but I believe the idea was to bring about some sort of peace by uniting all humans with one belief in a superior entity. And my accent is due to migrating over to England after the miracle with Jesus' resurrection.

"Now as I was saying, it didn't take me long to find out about the stone. To cut an extremely long story short, The Blood-Stone was a perfectly normal ruby encased around a single drop of Jesus' blood which could be used to bring Jesus back to life. But it was incomplete in this form. To work it needed two things; a drop of hybrid blood and an insanely powerful witch. When people revolted and crucified Jesus his disciples took the opportunity to test it out…and it worked."

I quirked my head to the side, "It all seems to make sense but if Jesus was a vampire then why did he die so quickly?"

Alyson stood up so that she was towering over me, "Because, during the trials there wasn't a moment when someone wasn't watching him, so he couldn't feed, and the trials went on for a long time. At first he simply refused to ruin his reputation, to risk exposing what he really was, but by the time he had changed his mind he was too weak to stand on his own two feet, let alone attack anyone.

"After that Judas stole the stone and gave it to me, he thought it was too powerful to be used and decided that I would be too naïve to do anything with it, how wrong he was. Once I knew all I needed to know I set my plan into action. It was rather simple to kill Jesus, all I had to do then was to bury his body somewhere only I knew about. But not before replenishing The Blood-Stone with a drop of his precious blood-an extremely powerful substance."

I arched an eyebrow, "Okay, but I still don't understand how I come into all of this?"

Alyson smiled a devious, cunning smile that had me squirming in my seat, "Like I said, the stone was incomplete in this form, I needed another witch and another hybrid," she looked at me pointedly when she said the word 'Hybrid', "I spent years in England trying to find suitable candidates, and that's where I met Katherine and _her_ witch Emily, now all I needed was the hybrid. It wasn't long before we met Klaus on one of our little hunts, and _he _told us that his brother was intent on starting up a family. All we had to do was get Katherine and Emily away from those Salvatore boys and wait for a hybrid to be born…that is where you come in."

I gulped, "How?" My question came out as a whisper as my voice had suddenly dried up but she heard it all the same.

Her grin grew even bigger, "You were born a half-vampire, which makes you a hybrid, so as soon as we could, we obtained a drop of _your _blood and mixed it in with the blood we already had. Emily cast the spell and you became bonded with the stone. But the time wasn't right, we needed _you_. Not as a baby, but as an adult, so that we can use the one thing that will temporarily strengthen the bond between you and the stone."

My hands twitched involuntarily and began to sweat rather profusely, "What's that then?"

She moved so that she was now standing on the rectangular box which, up until now, I had forgotten about. Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet as she spoke one word, "Pain."

There wasn't time to react as a searing white pain shot through my side rendering me temporarily blind. I was burning, and despite my earlier promise I did scream. I screamed in complete and utter agony as Katherine brutally rubbed vervain into my already injured waist.

As my screaming increased in volume, I heard another voice do the same. It started off as a whisper, but was now an angered yelling that consumed me, it was Damon.

As the yelling and the screaming continued without a hitch my vision began to clear and I noticed that my ring had started to shine. It was an unnatural glow which caught the attention of my torturers. Alyson raised her hand and the metaphorical fire subsided, I hissed as the hot tears streaked down my face leaving multiple trails.

Alyson's eyes were glued to the ring, "Bingo," She then looked at me with a gleeful expression, "Any questions?"

I didn't want to ask anything, I wanted to leave it at that, especially since I now felt like something had clawed the inside of my throat to ribbons. But as though a sound-proof barrier had been broken I heard Damon's voice loud and clear, "Ask her where you are…come on, we need to know!"

Using up the last of my strength I looked Alyson dead in the eye, "Just one, where the hell am I?"

Katherine snorted pulling in all our attention, "Isn't it obvious? We're directly beneath the boarding house, 30 miles down, our own personal joke."

At this Alyson and Klaus wrestled Katherine to the ground to keep her quiet but it was too late. I had what Damon needed. So when the peaceful and pain-free darkness began to envelop me I welcomed it with open arms.


	18. The Craving

Chapter 18

**Damon's View**

My eyes snapped open and watched Bonnie scramble away in shock at our close proximity, but I hardly noticed. All I could gather from my tangled thoughts was that I knew Jade's whereabouts, and that there was nothing on this Earth that would stop me from getting her back in my arms where she belonged, if it was the last thing I ever did.

I had spent five long centuries alone, wreaking havoc and making sure never to get attached to anyone again, even my own brother. All to prevent from ever having to go through the kind of heart ache I had gone through with that bitch Katherine. And now, at the risk of sounding a little too much like Stefan, I had found Jade; quite literally.

I wasn't even sure what it was about her, this had all started out as a game. One where I would ultimately become bored and dispose of her either one way or another. But I had come to know her, I had had time to notice all her little quirks, like the way she would twirl her hair and stare off into the distance when she was thinking. Or the way her answers didn't always make sense immediately, but when you thought about them long enough there was always some twisted logic hiding behind whatever she said.

Jade was like a code; a code that I was only just starting to figure out.

I think that Bonnie must have seen the determination in the set of my jaw, because it was the only reason I could deduce as an explanation for what she said to me,

"The Well."

I jumped out of my reminiscence with confusion clear in my eyes, "Don't waste time Bonnie, what do you mean?" I snapped at her, my patience was wearing thin.

Bonnie frowned slightly, which didn't look right on that delicate face of hers, "I'm not 'wasting time'," she said, while forming air quotations with her fingers, "I'm telling you where to find Jade!"

My eyebrows drew together in frustration, "Well I'm sorry Bonnie if 'The Well' wasn't sufficient information, but I need to know where she is so…" I gestured with my hand for her to expand on the subject whilst moving to my feet so that I was looking down on her.

Her small body practically shuddered in agitation, but I gave credit where credit is due for her ability to oversee my blunt rudeness as she replied tautly, "The Well on Creeks Farm measures thirty miles down – I know from a science experiment years ago – it's abandoned, and it's the perfect place to start looking."

Realisation sunk in, if I had still had one, my heart would've skipped a beat in pure anticipation. Without thinking I used my speed to grab Bonnie by the elbow who jolted back in surprise before struggling franticly to escape my vice-like grip.

Panic seeped into her voice, "Damon! What are you doing?"

I cocked my head to the side as I answered, "We're going to The Well."

Her eyes widened in both shock and fear but before she could argue I had already picked her up as if she were a rag-doll and was high-tailing it to Creeks Farm.

~xxx~

The Old Well was merely a hole in the ground covered by a heavy metal slab, most likely to keep people from falling in, or maybe from getting in at all. Bonnie started to squirm, trying to get away, so I obliged and dropped her so that she landed on the grass with a soft 'Oof'.

I then scoured our surroundings before lifting the cover, and throwing it into the background out of mind without using so much effort as could be used for a piece of paper.

I glanced behind me to check that the witch was still there – She was just standing, looking extremely small and not at all sure what she should be doing – then I turned back to the task at hand. Without looking I whistled and pointed to the spot next to me. I heard her move into place with an uncomfortable demeanour, she rubbed her shoulders and shivered at the sudden breeze that had arisen.

"What are you waiting for?" She asked with innocent curiosity.

I peered down into the darkness as I replied, "Could be a trap." Crouching down I narrowed my eyes at the opening, but even my vampire senses weren't enough to estimate what was at the bottom.

Bonnie tried to look over the edge herself but ended up stumbling, I grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her back, "Careful!"

Despite my warning she tried again but this time with me holding on to her, "What do you think's down there?" She asked.

I pulled her back for a second time and let go, "If this _is _the way in then it should be a nice clean drop."

"And if it isn't?"

I reached into my pocket and brought out a coin, "We're about to find out." I then flipped it into the air. It shimmered and shone until gravity took over and it descended into the darkness. I strained my ears, keeping absolutely frozen. Bonnie did the same although I was sure she wouldn't hear anything. It took somewhere around three minutes for the faint sound of metal hitting ground to echo back up the walls. I stood up suddenly making the young witch jump back before clumsily getting to her feet.

"It's safe, come on." I held my arms out to her but she cowered away from me.

"No."

I cocked my head to the side, "You're saying that as if you have a choice."

A small gasp escaped her lips as she tripped backwards, I was just about to her pick her up when I heard something that made me freeze; a rustle of leaves intermingled with rapid heartbeats.

I twisted on the spot so that I was facing an outline of shrubbery, "What are you doing here?" My voice a double-edged blade, poised and ready.

Stefan was the first to emerge, shortly followed by Elena and Meredith, they all looked like they were on a mission, knowing my brother and his meddlesome gang of friends, they probably were.

My gaze flickered to each of their faces as Bonnie quickly scampered to her feet and attempted to retreat to her rescuers, without taking my eyes away I sped over to her and locked my fingers around the upper part of her arm dragging her back with me so that we were directly in front of The Well. I leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Don't even think about it." She swallowed loudly in response.

Stefan stepped forward, "Don't do anything stupid Damon."

"Don't give me any reason to_ brother_," I spat.

Stefan had his hands out in front of him in a peaceful gesture as he explained, "We've just come to help Damon. Surely even _you _know that you can't save Jade _all _by yourself?"

I waggled my eyebrows challengingly, "Watch me."

Just as I pulled Bonnie even closer to the edge of The Well, Elena piped up, "Damn it Damon! We're on your side!"

I slowly let go of Bonnie and strode over to Elena so that I was standing directly in front of her with a guarded expression; I didn't trust this, "Why would _you_ of all people want to help _Jade_?"

Elena took a deep breath as if what she were about to say would be harder than even she could understand, I braced myself, "Because you love her. Because as much as you like to deny it you're not the heartless monster you'd have us all believe you are. Because it's plain to see every time you so much as look at her, in fact it has been for a while." My jaw tightened and my eyes widened, they knew. Every last one of them. Elena motioned towards the hole, "And now you're going to accept our help to _save_ Jade."

She put emphasis on the word '_save'_ to remind me that time was ticking away. I nodded and recomposed myself before turning back to the task at hand. Bonnie looked at me expectantly. I showed with my eyes that I wanted her to get out of my way, and she did.

And then I jumped.

I landed as softly and silently as any sleek predator leaping from a high branch over-hanging the enemy. I scanned the area using my eyes, ears and nose before whistling up for Stefan to drop the first human.

A faint conversation could be heard, "Come on Bonnie."

"No!"

A scuffle, a short gasp, and then Bonnie's small body fell into my strong arms. And just for a moment I remembered how innocent she was, "Hello again."

Her eyes popped open as she sent a small smile my way, "Hi."

I propped her up so that she was standing beside me then whistled for the next one.

Meredith was almost cat-like herself; as soon as I caught her she rolled out of my grasp and landed on the hard ground on all fours. I shot her a questioning look to which she replied simply with a shrug. I assumed she wasn't comfortable with being in such close proximity with a vampire.

Without my signal I heard Elena leap into the hole, leaving me with just enough time to blur into position so as to catch her slender frame. Her eyes searched mine with a somewhat possessive-like quality for just a moment too long before I dropped her onto her feet, none-too gently.

She huffed and flipped her hair out of her face as Stefan made the final jump into the abandoned well.

I put a finger to my lips, signalling everyone to keep as quiet as possible; no doubt the whole place would be crawling with vampires.

We were faced with a choice of four tunnels, all in completely different directions, much in the style of a cross. It was almost impossible to know which way would lead to Jade but luckily I was spared the responsibility as Bonnie tugged at the sleeve of my leather jacket. The red-haired witch pointed towards the East path. I didn't question her.

Partly because there wasn't time, but also because she had shown me more than once today that I could trust her. Bonnie was of a rare breed of human who couldn't even think of the word betrayal, it wasn't wired into her personality. She trusted everyone so whole-heartedly that it allowed others – such as myself – to trust her in return.

I smiled gratefully and without looking back I marched in that direction; I didn't need to check to know that the others would follow suit.

But a few turns into our journey and I was fast becoming lost.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to pinpoint any one direction, and I think Bonnie sensed this because soon she was leading the way. At first she just pointed in each direction but got frustrated when I didn't always notice her and pushed her way to the front.

She didn't so much as pause for thought as she turned and changed course at seemingly random points. All I could up with in the way of an explanation was that it must have been a witch thing; she'd had a vision and now she was being guided to the source of that vision. Whatever the reason, I was glad for it.

**Jade's View**

_I was floating. _

_Drifting along the ominously silent corridors; it seemed that even within my own mind I was trapped in this oppressive prison. What was I doing here? Honestly, I had no idea. I remembered getting information from Katherine for Damon, and then a darkness which held my mind for a few brief but blessed moments. And then I was here. _

_But I wouldn't be alone for long; a sound had reached my phantom ears, the sound of tentative footsteps. _

_They were of people whose attempts at being as quiet as possible, were failing dismally. Girls I assumed, from the gracious quality of them, and human. My curiosity peaked, I ventured towards the sounds, trying to make educated guesses as to who they might be. _

_When I rounded the corner I was surprised to learn that the intruders were none other than Bonnie, Meredith, and Elena! Not only that but they weren't alone; Green-eyes and Damon were with them!_

_Of course I wouldn't have detected the two vampires, stealth was weaved into their genes, but why would they be here? Damon I understood but the rest of them? Did Stefan and the others really care more for Damon's safety than they let on? _

_And what about me? Why should they even care what happened to me? They hardly knew me for crying out loud! And Elena hated me with a passion, I was sure of it. Whilst I hadn't even met Bonnie or Meredith…not properly anyway._

_So although I could sympathise with Green-Eyes, brothers and all that, Elena and her friends' presence completely confounded me._

_Determined to find out more I flew down to their level and hovered just above the ground next to Damon. I decided to take the time to actually look at Damon; his shockingly dark hair was in disarray, as if he hadn't had time to worry about his looks. His midnight black eyes, which seemed to dance with something like hope right now, were painted with dark smudges underneath, showing off his lack of sleep. He was wearing his usual gothic outfit, and I couldn't help but picture him as my 'Black Knight', come to save me. _

_I knew he couldn't see me but I had no idea whether it was possible for him to know I was here. So as an experiment I blew gently into his ear. _

_He halted so suddenly that I found myself alone and had to back-track. I smiled at his confusion, as he searched his surroundings, trying to figure out the source of the draft._

_Bonnie carried on, not noticing that anything was amiss, forcing Damon to lengthen his stride. The others hadn't seen anything. But Damon had._

_He strode on as if nothing had happened but I couldn't have missed the corner of his mouth twitch up in a hidden smile, even if I'd tried. _

_I heard his thoughts as clearly as if they had been my own, '_Hey there Tiger.'

_A swarm of butterflies erupted inside me and filled my stomach making me feel dizzy. His silky voice affected me in ways I couldn't even understand anymore, '_Damon, what are you doing?'

_I was now floating sideways so I could face him, he continued walking whilst conversing with me inside his head, _'Rescuing you. The real question is what are _you _ doing?'

_I thought for a moment before replying, '_I'm…not sure. I passed out and for some bizarre reason I ended up here. Who knows? Maybe I just had nothing better to dream about.' _I shrugged my shoulders, forgetting that I was invisible._

_His voice was filled with vain humour as he replied, _'Well, I _am_ absolutely _irresistible. _How could you _not _dream about me?'

_I tried to punch him in the shoulder but instead ended up going through him making him shiver, _'One of these days I'm going to pop that self-involved bubble you live in.'

_Damon chuckled under his breath, _'We're not far from you, but I'm letting you know now that if you dare die on me I _will _kill you.'

_Unexpectedly, a feeling some-what akin to 'home-sickness', built up as pressure right behind my eyes. This was what I loved about Damon, his ability to be so sarcastic but so passionate at the same time, making life with Damon a constant adventure._

_I blinked away the tears that threatened to overtake me and formulated a decent response, '_Fine. But if you don't rescue me soon then brace yourself for a whole world of pain.'

_Almost instantaneously there was a loud 'pop' and I became simultaneously blind and deaf to the world around me. Panic spread over my back in multiple waterfalls of ice, making my shoulders ache; I felt sick. _

_And then I felt nothing. _

~xxx~

Distant, distorted voices reached my ears making me stir.

"There!"

"Sort her wrists out."

"But wouldn't it be better if we-?"

"No. Now do it."

I recognised these voices, I was sure of it, but my brain was too starved of whatever it was that it needed right now to be anything close to co-operative.

A silky voice pulled at my attention, "This should wake her up."

The next thing I knew a strong hand had taken hold of the back of my head and gently tugged it back until I was facing the ceiling, some sort of plastic bag was put to my lips and a thick, chilled liquid found its way down my throat. My body's reaction was astonishing.

My canines elongated to twice their usual size and a series of veins became prominent around my eyes as the sweet aroma of blood filled my lungs and clouded my mind in a thick fog of blood-lust.

I gorged myself, swallowing at record speed, not even bothering to savour the taste. All too soon the bag was taken away and I noticed for the first time I was holding up my own head; I was stronger. But it wasn't nearly enough. I was still thirsty.

Instinctively I cried out in defiance, he had just taken away my source of energy, and it wasn't fair. He tried to keep me quiet by covering my mouth but my teeth were still sharp and I snapped at him.

"Ow!" He sucked at his now bleeding finger.

I heard snickering behind me and my mind suddenly snapped back into reality; the fog had dispersed. Damon glared at his brother who was busy untying my wrists, "Shut up." His finger still in his mouth, then he looked down at me with an annoyed expression.

I looked down at the floor letting my hair cover my face, "Sorry." My apology sounded muffled, but he heard.

Damon took a hold of my chin and lifted my face to his, smiled lopsidedly, and then kissed me. I couldn't do anything, I was still tied down, I was completely at his mercy as he pushed a strand of hair behind my ear; a familiar scenario by now. But this time I welcomed it.

When he pulled away he kissed me on the forehead before turning to Stefan, "What's taking you so long!"

"I'm trying but this stuff's not budging!"

"You and your animal diet, move over! I'll do it myself."

They communicated through hushed whispers as if they expected to get caught out at any given moment. A few grunts and mumbled curses later I was free. I rubbed at my wrists as Bonnie took a step forward, "Guys there isn't much time. We need to get her out of here…now."

Damon stepped in front of me and held out his hand in a gentlemanly manner. I looked at it for a second before placing my own hand in his. He pulled me to my feet and I immediately wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his torso.

I sighed in relief as he wrapped me up in a protective embrace. I realised that a part of me had been worried; worried that even after all we had been through he might have got bored of me. But I couldn't have been further from the truth as he breathed in deeply, smelling my hair, even though I was pretty sure I was in dire need of a shower.

I looked up into those sparkling black eyes of his, "Thank you," I whispered.

His reply consisted of a smile and a peck on the lips, and when I squinted at the iris of his eyes, I noticed for the first time that they weren't the endless black I first thought them to be, but actually a very dark mauve. They expressed his character perfectly; completely black at first glance without an ounce of goodness in his body, but at closer inspection reveals a softer and lighter side to him.

There was a cough to our side, I turned my head to face the other four, Damon's eyes never leaving my face as Elena spoke in a rather irritated tone, "I hate to break this little reunion up but we have to go!"

A low growl vibrated through Damon's chest and into mine, it emanated from him on such a frequency that I was sure I was the only one within hearing distance. A slow smirk spread across my face before I inclined my head towards the door, "Come on, let's scram before anything else happens."

The door slammed.

"I don't think so," Klaus blurred into the room and trapped Meredith in a head lock. Katherine did the same with Elena and Alyson knocked Bonnie into the jagged rock-faced wall with little sympathy.

Damon froze for a millisecond, not long, but enough to make me feel incredibly anxious, when it had passed he spun me around so that I was faced with the onslaught. Then just as Alyson lunged for me I was pulled back and behind the strong, safety barrier of his body.

Alyson snarled, resembling more a wild animal than anything even remotely human. I felt Damon's hands dig into my wrists as if he were afraid that if he didn't hold on tight enough he might very well lose me. The situation being what it was, his fears were well grounded.

Alyson took a step towards us; we took a step back.

Her voice projected across the space between us easily, cold and monotonous, making me flinch back against Damon's frustratingly strong grip, "I told you to keep your little friends out of my business."

Although I couldn't see it, I could sense that a mask of careful indifference had fallen over his usually cocky features, "And I told you never to leak the evil plan."

"Ah, touché," Alyson winked.

And then it all happened so fast.

I was wrenched out of Damon's grip and along with this action, came a roar of fury that made me stagger.

But I came up short as Alyson pressed an ice cold blade into the base of my throat. It promised nothing but pain and trouble. Me being a vampire and all, I would heal quickly, but it would still hurt, and I was sure that that was more than enough incentive for _her_.

I swallowed, and the knife pierced my skin. Then there was a movement, so fast that no-one caught it, not until the blood was pouring out of my throat as if I were a punch fountain at the end of year prom.

Before there was time to react, Alyson took the opportunity, and smothered _my _ring in _my _blood.

No-one knew what to do. We could only watch as the ring began to glow an un-earthly crimson. As soon as I could breathe again I knew that the wound had healed allowing me to call out in a raspy voice, "Don't!"

I suddenly knew what was in that box, but it was too late as Alyson ripped off the lid in a mad frenzy.

Silence fell over everyone; a deafening silence that froze my joints and put an un-relenting pressure on my ears. I couldn't move. And by the looks of things, nor could anyone else.

All eyes were on Alyson's icy-pale face as she held up the ring most dramatically; all eyes bugged out of their respective owner's head as glow escaped the jewellery, filling the room with red light.

Red; what an extraordinary colour? It seems now, on retrospect, that 'red' is really what started it all. Or, if you want to be specific, what the colour red signifies…blood. The craving for blood never fully goes away. You can quench it with regular feeds and excessive drinking but it will always be there in the back of your mind, whispering constantly, forever.

The closest I can get to for a description is that it's like being hungry, but all the time, even when you're full, it's still there, it's just easier to ignore.

The craving was the true culprit behind all this; Alyson's in particular.

Alyson, I was sure, had gone mad. Mad for not one, but _two_ things; blood and power. After needing these things for longer then I'd been alive and to now suddenly be so close, I could only imagine the excitement, and perhaps relief, she must be feeling.

And now she was going to satisfy those needs once and for all, I could see it in those sharp, blue eyes of hers that had seen far too much over the centuries to be considered anything close to healthy.

By now everything was doused in bloody crimson.

Everything was happening in freeze-frame; Damon was crouching down in front of me although he was watching the havoc unravelling before us.

Stefan seemed to be about to take advantage of Katherine's momentary distraction, Bonnie was rubbing her head and beginning to sit up while poor Meredith was being left to fend for herself.

Alyson leaned into the box and almost forced the ring onto Emmanuel's finger. That was what had been in the box all along; the corpse of the Messiah.

His once dried-out and decrepit form began to take on a new lease of life as Alyson grinned insanely. A hand acted as a grappling hook and clenched onto the side, he then pulled himself out of the box and on to his own two feet.

Just as Alyson was about to claim her prize – the blood of the first ever vampire – her throat was caught in the grasp of the corpse. Pure terror washed over her normally, carefully constructed, features as the full horror of her fatal mistake hit her like a tonne of bricks; she had underestimated him.

Its face morphed into that of a monster's before sinking its teeth into its murderer; revenge for all those years ago. Alyson's body thrashed about wildly as if disconnected from her head, attempting desperately to break away, but to no avail. Within seconds she, a vampire, had been drained dry and thrown away with no more thought spared for her than an empty coca cola can.

The corpse licked its lips with relish as relief coursed through me; she was gone…finally!

Cruel, I know, but in a situation like this I _had _to think logically (it was a trick I had learnt early on in my childhood).

The corpse glanced at the ring, its neck snapping a little as it did so, then its lifeless eyes rolled around in its head until they landed on me, "The Hybrid," its voice was spiked with darkness, "_Your _blood."

And then it dawned on me; why my blood was _so _precious. It was because we were linked, and although Alyson's blood had restored it a little, it wouldn't do the trick, not like mine anyway which was what it needed to get back to its original strength and power. It was like comparing mineral water to powerade. (I couldn't think of it as a 'he'. It was like conceding that it had feelings, and anything that looked or sounded anything like that corpse couldn't possibly _feel_.)

I inched back a little, not needing to hear anymore. Damon bared his teeth and stayed crouched down on the floor as he took in its predatory stance, and the way its attention was seemingly consumed by what must have been my humble presence down on the cold floor.

A gust of wind arose, and when I glanced around to sought the cause of it, I noticed that both Katherine and Klaus had fled the scene. Cowards.

My head snapped back as the corpse took a step towards us, Damon's warning growl reached my ears, it seemed that any human aspects had now left him as an animalistic instinct to protect overrode all else that could be running through his mind.

Its face set in a permanent grin.

But then its pupils dilated and became bloodshot as if something sinister was going on in its head. It turned away to find the source of its discomfort, "A witch! How marvellous," Its voice was beginning to deteriorate, now sounding as if it were talking through a mouthful of nails, "Did you really think that such a low level spell would work on me?"

It was addressing Bonnie but it seemed obvious-even to me-that she was merely the distraction. Maybe after centuries of sleep its mind wasn't keeping up, or maybe it was the lack of hybrid blood in its system. It could have been either of these things.

All I knew was that Stefan was taking the opportunity to pounce; his arm wrapped around its crackling neck and his legs around its stick of a waist. I heard a yell and turned to see Elena searching for some sort of weapon. There was nothing. But she wasn't letting this small flaw in her plan faze her as she sprinted towards the two of them anyway.

I blinked, what was she going to do? Colour its nails for it? The girl was incorrigible, and dead, if I hadn't have blurred over to her in less than a second and pushed her out of harm's way.

Not expecting her to stay-put, I was fully prepared to literally throw her out into the passage way and close the doors behind her. But unfortunately, Elena's mad rescue mission had landed us directly in front of the corpse.

Its skeletal fingers formed a clenched fist around a large portion of my hair, dragging me back and lifting me off the ground. My hands flew to my head, instinctively trying to relieve some of the pressure that was tearing away at my partially bleeding scalp. A yelp escaped my lips before I could bite my tongue against the pain.

Stefan was still on its back, doing his best to restrain the corpse, but it wasn't good enough. It sniffed my neck, as if beginning its taste of a fine wine, but it had forgotten about the one remaining vampire in the room.

"Excuse me," The corpse moved me reluctantly to the side at the sound of the dangerously polite voice, "I'm afraid you've messed with the wrong monster."

Damon.

He plunged his hand deep into the corpse's chest cavity, so fast that only the crack of its dried out skin breaking along with its bones was my only source of know how. No sound emitted from it as it's heart was ripped out for all to see, and for a split second, its grip tightened on me, as if unwilling to let go…to lose.

Damon left the palpating organ on his outstretched palm as if presenting it. The corpse simply stared with hollow eyes as it's heart performed it's last few shuddering beats.

Its hand released me, Stefan leapt off its back, and we all fell to the floor with a 'thump'.

The red light was suddenly sucked from the room and into the fallen corpse's ring, and the glow faded until it was completely gone, almost as if the events from the past couple of days had never happened.

There was a frozen silence.

Shock.

At what had happened and the fact that it was all over.

Then the stillness was broken as a hand was extended towards me, a little bloodied but that didn't matter, especially considering who the hand belonged to.

I quickly glanced at the spot near the doors where I saw Stefan hugging Elena and then checking the other two girls who were trying desperately to assure him that they were both fine.

But then I was blocked off by Damon who had decided that my momentary hesitation was a sign that I was not okay. He wiped his hands on his black trousers before taking hold of my face in a gentle but firm grip, lifting my chin up and to the side for medical inspection.

He traced his fingers lightly over the place where the knife had cut me, though of course there was nothing to show for it now.

I giggled and he arched an eyebrow at me questioningly.

I stopped and explained soberly, "It tickles."

He sighed and rolled his eyes, "It's not supposed to tickle Jade."

_I_ sighed and rolled _my _eyes, "I can't help it Damon."

We both glared at each other, a game I knew I could've won if Damon hadn't have blown in my face, rendering me temporarily blind. I rubbed at my eyes as he picked me up, spinning me round once, before setting me down in front of him.

I looked over to the others who were staring back at us, and then averted my gaze to Damon.

He had on a cocky grin as he said, "Come on, let's go home. I need a drink."

A warm feeling settled in the pit of my stomach at the thought of finally having a proper home, "You took the words right out of my mouth."


	19. Long Overdue

Chapter 19

**Jade's View**

Treading into the almost familiar bathroom of the Boarding House, I reminded myself to lock the door securely behind me. In one arm I was balancing a hurriedly chosen change of fresh clothes, and in the other a gloriously clean towel. Precautions were necessary, especially after the last showering incident, and considering who was just outside the door.

As if on cue, there came a twist of the handle that failed to open, and then a soft knock.

My forehead wrinkled in annoyance, yet strangely, the words I yelled at the intruder were of a lighter tone, "Go away!"

I could almost hear him smirk on the other side, "I hardly think that's any way to treat your saviour. Aren't you going to come out and thank me properly?"

I pretended to ponder a moment, "Tempting…but not so much as the concept of having a shower and being _clean._" Then I switched on the water to drown out the sound of his discrepancy.

I hung the towel on a rack and dumped the clothes into a corner; a pair of faded blue jeans and a short-sleeved white top with the image of a melting heart drawn in black ink.

I peeled off Damon's attire and hopped in; the hot spray running over me like a dream. The troubles acquired over the past couple of days were washed down the drain along with the rest of the grime, and anything that was left snuggled into the back of my contented mind.

About ten minutes later, after I had thoroughly scrubbed myself down, I heard a faint but distinct '_click'_. My ears perked up (metaphorically speaking) and I suddenly had the impression that the bathroom door was no longer locked.

Shutting off the water I pulled the curtain back to reveal that my suspicions were indeed correct; although my towel was still in place – thank God – my clothes were missing.

_Damon _

My first reaction was to yell and tear the door from its hinges, but before I could lose control of myself, a better idea bloomed before me. I smiled.

I wrapped myself in the towel and gently prised the door open, no sound was made as I tiptoed to a point directly behind Damon's head. Damon was sat on the couch, holding my top to the light as if inspecting it, I made my move.

With a growl I grabbed a tuft of raven hair and pulled to the side, exposing the side of his neck, and then my fangs were hovering just above the jugular vein. I let my canines retract as I spoke, "Give. Them. Back."

When Damon looked at me, instead of seeing the shock I expected, there was only something that looked a little like pride. His eyes seemed to challenge me; _Take them then. _

I did.

I ran into the bathroom, changed, and ran back, perching myself on the edge of the couch almost instantaneously.

But Damon had disappeared.

I blinked confused. _Where and why did he go? _

I didn't have to wait long for the answer, because he ambushed me.

By the time I knew what was going on I had already been pulled up from the couch and slammed into the wall. I groped at the hand that coiled around my throat like a cobra, getting ready to strangle the life out of its victim.

Damon's smile was wolfish, "Don't try and tell me what to do."

I glared pointedly at him, "_Someone _should."

He wagged his finger at me like I was merely nothing more than a naughty child, "Tut, tut, tut. _You're _in an especially bad mood today."

I sighed exasperatedly, "Damon, I have been kidnapped, starved, tortured, and my clothes stolen by an insanely annoying vampire! So you'll forgive me if I'm a little testy."

Damon slowly yet deliberately moved his hand away from my throat so that it was palm down against the wall, "Apology accepted."

He tried to kiss me there and then but I moved my head back against the wall and splayed my fingers over his chest; preventing him from going any further. A smirk played on his lips although there was nothing but puzzlement held in his eyes. I cocked an eyebrow and smirked myself, then, using speed, strength, and surprise, I forced us both away from the wall and towards the furniture so that _he _was sandwiched between my body and the couch.

He gasped from the impact, and when he looked at me he was first shocked, then sceptical, as my lips leapt onto his, much like a kitten playing with a lion.

When I broke away the atmosphere had changed and we were both comfortable with each other once again, "Let's play a game," I said.

Damon grinned in anticipation, "Let's."

I grinned back, "I'll ask a question and you answer. Then I'll reward you afterwards."

Damon stroked my cheek with the pad of his thumb as he studied my mouth, "Sounds simple enough. But we take turns being the quiz master, deal?"

I answered bluntly with my first question, "Where is everyone?"

Damon scoffed, "_That's _your first question?"

I sighed; he always had to make things difficult, "Just answer already."

Damon rolled his eyes, "At the Grill, chewing things over."

"Shouldn't we be there too?" I inquired.

"Ah, ah, ah," Damon pressed a finger to my lips, "That was an unauthorised question."

I attempted to punch him in the chest but it proved futile as he gathered both my wrists in one hand and blurred us both so that I was now trapped in a predicament not too dissimilar to the one Damon had been in not a second ago.

Smugness enveloped his unusually handsome features, "Right, my turn. How is it you ended in the woods a vampire in the first place?"

I swallowed, "You asked me that question before."

Damon shrugged which felt strange and yet pleasant at the same time, "Maybe I did."

I licked my lips, a fleeting movement that was hardly worthy of the description, but Damon saw it, "And I told you I didn't know."

Damon's grip tightened ever-so slightly, "Now Jade, I think we both know that you were lying back there, this time, I want the truth, that's all."

_That's all? You have no idea what _all _is…_

I closed my eyes as the memory played in my head like a movie, an old black and white movie that hadn't been shown in a while, "First off, I didn't tell anyone about my mother's apparent 'suicide'. Even at that age, I could figure for myself that no-one could nail themselves to the wall, _and _that the man who had been by had something to do with it. In fact there was no doubt in my mind that he had killed her, and then set it up to look like a suicide.

Although I had no-where to go I was too afraid to tell anyone, I might've been taken away. Maybe that was a stupid thought, who was there to be taken away _from_? But to be honest…I was waiting for my Dad.

I still believed he'd be coming back, that's what my mother _taught_ me to believe, so I did. But I also knew that I had to keep on the move, at this point I still didn't know what I was running from, but _something _was after me, it was only in the past couple of years that I worked it out, that it wasn't human, but in all those years I never even imagined that it could be a vampire!

Still, I kept on the move, never staying in any place long enough to be caught, but that also meant sacrificing my education and any kind of work, so money was out of the question. It was a choice of either subjecting myself to a life of pick-pocketing or living off the land; I chose the latter.

Soon I gave up on the cities altogether and just hiked, stopping off at villages and small towns along the way. As you can guess, this strategy bumped up my time as a fugitive by a good couple of years, but of course, _you _know that didn't last.

It was in the Old Wood that Klaus finally caught up with me, where you found me."

Damon's expression was unreadable, his eyes like coal as he absorbed the answer he had unwittingly asked for, "I'm sorry," his voice was unwavering.

I shook my head, "No, you're not. And neither am I," his eyes softened and returned to their universal selves as I took his face in my hands, "And believe me when I tell you that I would go through all that again if I had to. I wouldn't change a single thing, you know why?"

Damon leaned in so close our noses were grazing against each other, "Tell me."

I reached up and knotted my fist into his unbelievably black hair, "Because it brought me to you, here. And I can't think of a better place to be."

Damon seemed indecisive for a moment, "I love you Jade, so much."

He was uncertain, not of his love for me, but of how I felt about him. Fortunately, there was no doubt in my mind as I finally uttered the words that were long overdue, "I love you too, Damon Salvatore."

_The End_

_Thank you to all my reviewers, I seriously couldn't have done it without you! _


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